The United States launched two waves of military strikes against Iran on Wednesday, targeting coastal defence systems, missile sites and military infrastructure, as tensions between the two countries escalated following the collapse of a recent ceasefire.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the first round of attacks began early Wednesday and focused on Iranian coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch facilities on Greater Tunb Island. A second wave later struck multiple military targets, including command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone capabilities, and surveillance facilities in Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest port and key naval bases along the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation follows Iran’s announcement over the weekend that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. Military operations in the area have significantly disrupted maritime traffic, pushing Brent crude oil prices to a one-month high of US$84.95 per barrel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by launching missile and drone attacks on what it described as US military targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The IRGC claimed it struck a gathering of US military personnel and a radar installation at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
US officials said the strikes were also intended to weaken Iran’s military capabilities ahead of any future operations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM also said US forces intercepted an oil tanker heading towards Iran’s Kharg Island after it allegedly ignored repeated warnings. The military said Hellfire missiles were fired into the vessel’s smokestack to disable it. Since reimposing a naval blockade, US forces have reportedly redirected two vessels and disabled another.
Iranian media reported explosions in several coastal cities, including Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Konarak, Sirik and Qeshm. Additional blasts were also reported in Khondab, while Tehran activated its air defence systems in response to what officials described as “hostile threats”.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that one US strike landed near a hospital in Ahvaz that houses a children’s cancer centre, prompting the temporary evacuation of patients and their families. Reuters was unable to independently verify the claim.
Following the attacks, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared that the country was engaged in what he described as an “existential war” with the United States, insisting that Iran would continue enforcing its own security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump maintained that Washington was gaining the upper hand in the conflict, saying Iran was eager to negotiate an end to the fighting.
“They want to settle very badly,” Trump told reporters, adding that the US would decide whether to reach an agreement or continue military operations.
Despite the escalating conflict, there was one apparent diplomatic breakthrough. Trump announced that Iran had released an American citizen who had been prevented from leaving the country since 2024. Human rights lawyer Jared Genser identified the individual as Dena Karari, confirming she was safely travelling back to the United States.
The renewed fighting comes after a fragile truce collapsed earlier this week, raising fears of a broader regional conflict that could further disrupt global energy supplies and destabilise the Middle East.
