US strikes on Iran on Iran as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate

The United States has launched fresh military strikes against Iran, targeting a military facility in the strategic port city of Bandar Abbas amid rising tensions in the Gulf region.

According to the US Central Command (Centcom), American forces carried out the operation after identifying what it described as an imminent drone threat near the Strait of Hormuz. The military confirmed that four Iranian one-way attack drones were intercepted and destroyed, while a fifth drone launch site in Bandar Abbas was struck before deployment.

Iranian state-linked media reported explosions east of Bandar Abbas shortly after the attack.

Ceasefire Under Pressure

The latest strikes come during an already fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Both countries have been engaged in tense negotiations aimed at ending the three-month conflict that has severely disrupted maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.

This marks the second round of US strikes on Iranian targets within three days.

Centcom described the latest operation as “measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire.” Earlier in the week, the US military confirmed additional strikes on Iranian missile positions and naval assets allegedly involved in mining operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

US officials argued those attacks were necessary to protect American troops and international shipping lanes from Iranian threats.

Iran Condemns US Actions

Iran strongly condemned the attacks, calling them “a grave violation of the ceasefire.” Tehran warned that it would respond to what it described as continued American aggression.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed this week that it had downed a US drone and opened fire on a fighter jet and another drone that allegedly entered Iranian airspace. However, no timeline or additional evidence was provided regarding the incident.

The growing military exchanges have intensified fears that the ceasefire agreement could collapse entirely.

Strait of Hormuz Crisis Deepens

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the narrow shipping corridor. Since the conflict began, commercial tanker traffic has slowed dramatically, driving up global energy prices and disrupting fuel supply chains worldwide.

The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions against the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority,” an Iranian body responsible for collecting shipping fees in the Strait.

Washington warned that any vessels making payments to the authority could also face sanctions exposure.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Iran of attempting to “extort global maritime trade,” describing the fee collections as evidence Tehran is under severe financial pressure. Iran rejected the accusations.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei defended the payments as standard navigational service charges and insisted Iran would continue managing maritime traffic in the waterway.

Trump Signals Possible Further Military Action

During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said Iran was “negotiating on fumes” and warned that the US could resume a broader military campaign if talks fail.

“Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe we don’t,” Trump said.

The president also urged Gulf nations to join the Abraham Accords and normalize diplomatic relations with
Israel.

Trump later stated that while Iran appears eager to reach a deal, Washington remains dissatisfied with the current negotiations.

“They just want to make a deal — I don’t think they have a choice,” he said.

Peace Talks Remain Uncertain

Recent reports from Iranian state television claimed that a draft agreement between Tehran and Washington included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reducing US military presence in the region.

However, the White House dismissed the report as “a complete fabrication.”

Although both sides hinted at progress last week, officials in Tehran later cautioned that a final agreement was “not imminent.”

Trump also said he instructed US negotiators “not to rush” into a settlement.

The conflict began on 28 February after Israel and the US launched coordinated military operations against Iran. The wider regional crisis has since expanded to include clashes involving Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

With tensions escalating once again, fears are growing that the Middle East could slide back into a broader regional war if diplomatic efforts collapse.