The United States on Wednesday launched a new wave of strikes against Iran's coastal defense systems, cruise missile storage and launch sites after reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran threatened to halt more regional energy exports, UNN reports citing Reuters.
Details
These strikes mark another escalation in the attacks and counterattacks launched by the two sides vying for control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies were transported before the war.
"Today at 6:00 ET (13:00 Kyiv time) the U.S. Central Command began a wave of strikes against Iran," the U.S. military said.
"The strikes are aimed at further degrading the military capability that Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said.
Later, CENTCOM stated that "U.S. Central Command released precision-guided munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during a 90-minute wave. The strikes further degraded Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
There were no immediate reports of the attacks in Iranian media, the publication writes.
Late Tuesday, the U.S. military said it struck dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and coastal areas of Iran over seven hours.
In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday it struck U.S. military targets in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
It also threatened Wednesday to halt exports of more regional energy carriers, saying the U.S. "must prepare for the closure of all other export corridors that benefit the U.S. and its allies."
Hostilities escalated after Iran late Saturday announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. claims Iran attacked seven commercial vessels over the past week, resulting in nearly a dozen crew members killed, missing or wounded.
Oil prices continued to rise by about 1% on Wednesday, after settling at a new monthly high on Tuesday.
The interim ceasefire agreement in the conflict, signed last month, was supposed to lead to further negotiations, including on Iran's nuclear program, and a permanent ceasefire, but a return to talks has stalled.
Analysts say that while the U.S. and Iran have returned to disputes as before the signing of the interim ceasefire agreement, they are unlikely to return to full-scale war, although the risk of further escalation remains.
They say Iran is signaling it could use its Houthi allies in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, opening a new front against Washington and threatening two of the world's most important energy arteries.
Iran may close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and create Hormuz-2 - Reuters15.07.26, 01:38
As a result of the war, Iran is seeking to establish permanent control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and impose fees on vessels passing through it, which would be a significant shift in the balance of power in a region where the U.S. has long acted as a security guarantor.
The IRGC said Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until what it called "the end of American evil."
Shipping data showed an increase in the number of Iran-linked vessels passing through the strait before the new U.S. blockade on Iranian ports took effect.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, through which Saudi oil exports and a significant portion of global shipping pass.
U.S. President Donald Trump, facing domestic pressure to avoid a full return to war, threatened Tuesday to strike Iranian power plants and bridges next week if Tehran does not resume negotiations.
"I will leave the issue of energy goals for last, but in the end we will achieve them," Trump said.
U.S. negotiators contacted their Iranian counterparts to tell them: "You better make a deal," Trump added.
As tensions rose, Trump on Monday floated the idea of a 20% levy on shipping through the strait. On Tuesday, he backed away from the idea and said, without providing details, that he would instead seek investment deals with Gulf countries.
The war has claimed thousands of lives and forced millions to become refugees, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, where the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants has resumed.
Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said at least 30 civilians have been killed in recent days by U.S. strikes on southern Iran, state media reported on Wednesday.
The Iranian army said at least seven active-duty servicemen and conscripts were killed in overnight U.S. strikes on the Bampur military base in the country's southeast.