What is the story about?
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that American forces were in the middle of carrying out strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait
of Hormuz. He described the operation as large scale and powerful, framing it as a direct response to what he called a failed Iranian attempt to plant sea mines in the strait, mines he says have since been fully cleared or detonated. Trump also pointed to a separate incident, claiming Iran had fired eight missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan, all of which were intercepted before causing any harm.
A Blunt Warning to Tehran
Trump didn't stop at explaining the current strikes. He issued a pointed threat aimed at deterring any Iranian response, saying that if Iran chooses to retaliate, it will face an even harder and more forceful hit than what's already underway.He went further, hinting that an even larger operation remains in reserve, one he suggested could leave very little of the Islamic Republic standing if it's ever unleashed.
Separately, whilst speaking to Fox News's Trey Yingst, Trump stated that Iran could be “totally wiped out as a country” if it repeatedly retaliates against U.S. strikes.
Confirmation From the Military
The strikes weren't just a claim from Trump's social media post. U.S. Central Command confirmed on Tuesday that American forces were actively hitting Iranian targets in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.This operation lines up with a strategy Trump and his top advisers had reportedly been weighing for several days, one focused on carrying out limited strikes in the strait aimed at stopping Iran from rebuilding radar and missile systems capable of threatening ships in the area. Axios had actually reported on this developing plan just a day earlier, on Monday.
One U.S. official described the underlying goal in blunt terms, telling Axios the strategy amounts to reducing the odds of Iranian attacks on oil tankers, Navy vessels, and Air Force planes, comparing the approach to routine maintenance, or as the official put it, an effort to "mow the lawn."
Where the Strikes Hit
Iranian media outlets reported that the strikes touched several locations along the country's southern coastline, including the cities of Bandar Abbas, Jask, Chabahar, Konarak, Minab, and Sirik, as well as the island of Qeshm.
CENTCOM's Official Statement
U.S. Central Command laid out its reasoning for the operation directly. According to the statement shared by CENTCOM, American forces began targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites in Iran at noon Eastern Time.The command tied the timing of the strikes to recent incidents, pointing to attempted IRGC attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz along with threats made against American troops stationed in the region.
Sardar Mohebi, an IRGC spokesperson, responded to the latest round of U.S. strikes by writing on X - "Severe punishment awaits the aggressors, and America will regret its new attacks."
