The United States has launched fresh strikes on “multiple targets” in Iran on President Donald Trump’s orders, with the US military claiming the action was “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression”. Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and in the cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik along the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the southern city of Kargan, wounding at least two people.

Tehran responded with strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait and two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the US of “repeated violations” of their April ceasefire and declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed until further notice”, affecting all traffic including oil tankers and commercial vessels.

The IRGC claimed that “two oil tankers attempting to illegally pass through the strait were hit” and that strikes were carried out on Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base and Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Bases. The escalation follows a previous exchange of strikes after the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the strait.

Trump told reporters at the White House that the US would hit Iran “very hard”, accusing Iran of “playing us for suckers” in negotiations. On Truth Social, he wrote that Iran had taken too long to negotiate a peace deal and “now they will have to pay the price”. In a Fox News interview, he allegedly threatened to strike power plants and bridges in Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian slammed Trump’s threats, stating that “critical infrastructures are the lifeblood of the people” and that Iran “will stand firm against any pressure or threat, relying on the knowledge of its specialists, national unity, and solidarity”.

Source: www.aljazeera.com