The United States military launched a new series of strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Tuesday. According to US Central Command, the operation, which commenced at 12 p.m. ET, was a direct response to recent attempts by the IRGC to target commercial shipping vessels within the Strait of Hormuz and to threaten American service members stationed in the region.
This latest military action follows an exchange of fire between the two nations that occurred between Sunday night and Monday, representing the first direct combat engagement between the countries in over a month. During that earlier confrontation, Iran reported firing missiles at US military positions in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, characterizing the move as retaliation for a prior American strike on Iranian rocket launchers located on Larak Island. The US countered that Iran had attempted to deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global energy supplies.
President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Tuesday, labeling the US actions a “very justified attack” while warning that Iran would face even more severe consequences if it chose to retaliate. He further noted that the US is currently holding back on what he described as “the biggest attack of them all.” In a statement posted to social media, the President asserted that the strikes were large and powerful, specifically citing the failed attempt to mine the strait and the earlier missile barrage directed at the US base in Jordan, which he stated were all successfully intercepted.
In response to the strikes, Iran’s Armed Forces Central Headquarters vowed to deliver “crushing and devastating blows” against the “American enemy.” State broadcaster IRIB reported that the Iranian military warned the US that continued aggression would lead to increasingly heavy losses. Local authorities in Iran confirmed that four projectiles impacted the port cities of Chabahar and Konarak in the southeast. Additionally, explosions were reported near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, areas that serve as vital hubs for maritime and commercial infrastructure.
Despite the escalation, President Trump maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains in “extremely good shape” for transit, though current tracking data indicates that shipping traffic remains significantly lower than pre-war levels. When questioned about the current leadership in Tehran, the President expressed skepticism, stating, “In my opinion, they don’t know who the leader is,” and suggesting that the Iranian military has been reduced to a mere fraction of its former strength.
The regional instability has had immediate economic repercussions. Oil futures climbed above $94 a barrel on Tuesday following the announcement of the new strikes. This follows a trend from Monday, when the initial exchange of fire caused global oil prices to rise by nearly 3% and triggered a decline in US stock indexes. The current military posture marks a notable shift from Washington’s previous strategy, which had focused primarily on maximizing economic pressure rather than direct military intervention. The report also notes that “It’s very limited,” Trump said in the Oval Office, going on to list what he said were significant US military accomplishments over the course of the six-month war. The report also notes that their surveillance equipment is almost entirely gone,” he said. The report also notes that “That doesn’t mean we won’t smack ‘em. The report also notes that asked who was in charge in Tehran, Trump said it remained an open question. The report also notes that “You have the radicals, but they’ve been wiped out from the standpoint of the military because the military is just a fraction of what it was.”. The report also notes that alejandra Jaramillo, Matt Egan, Aida Karimi and Hira Humayun contributed reporting.
