The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran, saying the operation was aimed at protecting freedom of navigation through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran retaliated with attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, further escalating tensions in the Gulf.
The latest United States offensive followed Tuesday’s attack on three cargo ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington blamed on Tehran.
The renewed hostilities came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that he considered the interim ceasefire with Tehran to be effectively over.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had begun additional strikes to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM wrote on X.
The strikes reportedly shook several cities along Iran’s southern coastline, with power outages recorded in some areas.
Tehran responded by launching a second consecutive day of missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, both of which host U.S. military installations.
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Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems were intercepting incoming missiles and drones, while Qatar briefly issued an elevated security alert before later announcing that the situation had stabilised.
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said Wednesday’s strikes were expected to be more extensive than those carried out a day earlier.
Trump defended the military action in a post on his Truth Social platform, describing it as retaliation for the attack on commercial vessels.
“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” he wrote.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime routes, previously accounting for about one-fifth of global oil shipments before the conflict intensified.
Although Iran has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks on the cargo ships, analysts believe Tehran has used such actions to strengthen its negotiating position.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned that Tehran would continue to respond to any military action.
“The U.S. has yet to learn that bullying and breaking its commitments no longer come without a cost. Let me be clear: If you strike, you will be struck back,” he wrote on X.
He also insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would only be reopened under Iranian arrangements rather than through U.S. military pressure.
The renewed exchange of strikes has further undermined hopes that the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 could evolve into a lasting peace agreement to end the conflict, which began with U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
Speaking before a NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, Trump said the ceasefire agreement had effectively collapsed.
Trump said: “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.
“If we make a deal with Iran, I’m not sure that will stick. I found them to be very dishonourable people.”
