President Donald Trump has authorized a new series of military strikes against Iranian targets, warning that conditions will escalate if Tehran continues to target commercial vessels within the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian state media, explosions were reported across several southern coastal cities, including Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, with some areas experiencing power outages following the aerial operations.
The U.S. Central Command confirmed the strikes were intended to protect freedom of navigation in the critical oil transit route. In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump described the action as a direct response to recent bombings of ships by Iranian forces. Despite the military confrontation, the President suggested that the current hostilities could resolve quickly and noted that diplomacy remains a possibility.
The escalating tension comes as the previously established ceasefire between the two nations has effectively collapsed. Global oil markets reacted sharply to the news, with prices rising by eight percent. Meanwhile, international mediators including Qatar and the United Nations have issued urgent appeals for restraint, fearing a broader conflict in the region.
These latest events follow an initial wave of reciprocal strikes earlier in the week, during which the U.S. targeted over 80 Iranian assets, including radar systems and small naval vessels. In retaliation, Iran claimed to have struck U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, though American officials stated that no major damage or casualties resulted from those attacks. Currently, approximately 6,000 seafarers remain stranded in the area as the situation in the vital shipping corridor remains volatile.
