New Delhi: The United States launched another wave of airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday, targeting military capabilities that Washington said posed
a threat to commercial and naval vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest military action came shortly after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran to “behave.”
The US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said American forces began the second wave of strikes at 3 pm ET under Trump’s direction.
“At 3 pm ET, U.S. forces launched operations for a second wave of strikes today against Iran. The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway vital to global commerce. The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
Explosions reported in Iran
Iranian media reported explosions in the southern cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar after the US operation. However, authorities did not immediately confirm whether the explosions resulted from the American strikes. The second operation followed an earlier round of US attacks that ended at 7.30 am ET on Wednesday.
CENTCOM said American forces carried out the first operation for about 90 minutes. The military used precision-guided weapons to target Iranian coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch facilities on Greater Tunb Island. According to the US military command, the strikes further reduced Iran’s ability to attack commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway serves as a major route for global oil and energy supplies.
Naval blockade restored
The United States also reimposed its naval blockade on Iran. Washington intensified its military campaign after Tehran allegedly attacked ships that tried to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials said the latest American strikes hit an Iranian Army barracks. They claimed that at least seven soldiers died and hundreds of people suffered injuries across the country.
US and Iranian forces have exchanged attacks across the Middle East for several days. The renewed fighting and threats against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have damaged the interim agreement that had paused the conflict.
Truce talks stall
The United States first imposed the naval blockade in April. It lifted the measure last month after Washington and Tehran reached an interim truce. The agreement paused the fighting and created a 60-day period for negotiations, including talks over Iran’s nuclear programme. However, those negotiations later stalled as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz increased sharply. The latest attacks have raised fears that the region could return to a full-scale war.
