TEHRAN: The United States has launched fresh strikes against Iranian targets around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, marking a renewed escalation between Washington and Tehran after a period of relative calm.
US officials said the strikes targeted Iranian military positions linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while Iranian authorities reported explosions in several southern areas.
According to US officials cited by Axios, American forces carried out the attacks in response to Iranian actions against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and threats to US personnel in the region.
The latest strikes reportedly hit areas around the waterway as Washington seeks to prevent further attacks and maintain shipping security.
Explosions reported across southern Iran
Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and Sirik, with several blasts also reported near the Strait of Hormuz. Reports further said that US forces struck Jiroft Airport in southeastern Iran.
An Iranian official said a US strike hit a house hosting a wedding in southern Iran, killing two people and injuring several others. The reported civilian casualties have not been independently verified by US authorities.
The renewed attacks have raised fresh concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes, as tensions between the two countries continue to threaten commercial shipping and regional stability.
Iran vows strong response to US strikes
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that the United States would regret the latest attacks and threatened a severe response.
Iranian state-affiliated media reported that the Iranian armed forces had launched a retaliatory operation, claiming that US military bases and American interests in the region were being targeted with missiles and drones.
The latest exchange marks another sharp escalation in the conflict, with Washington defending its strikes as a response to threats against shipping and American forces, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate against what it describes as US aggression.
