US President Donald Trump warned Iran of a major escalation if Tehran retaliates after the United States launched fresh strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.
“The United States is, as we speak, striking Iranian Targets near the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He described the attacks as “large and powerful” and said they were carried out in retaliation for Iran’s alleged attempt to lay sea mines in the strategic waterway and for missile attacks on a US military base in Jordan.
Trump warned that Iran would face an even stronger response if it retaliated.
Trump warns of ‘biggest attack’
“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level,” Trump wrote. He added that the “biggest attack of them all” was still “waiting in the wings”, warning that “there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran” after it.
US military on IRGC strikes
The US military confirmed that American forces had begun striking Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday.
“Today at 12 p.m. ET (1600 GMT), U.S. forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran,” US Central Command said on X. It said the strikes followed attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members deployed in the region.
Iranian state media reported explosions at several locations. State television said explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, while the state-linked Nour News reported blasts in Bandar Abbas and Chabahar. Iran’s official IRNA news agency also reported explosions in Jask and Sirik.
Iran vows ‘crushing’ retaliation
Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and joint military command vowed retaliation, saying the country’s armed forces would deliver “crushing and devastating blows” against the United States.
Iranian state television said US forces had struck a fishmeal factory on Qeshm Island as well as civilian infrastructure in Hormozgan province. It reported that a fishing pier and a tower belonging to Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization in Sirik were among the sites hit.
US-Iran tensions rise over Strait of Hormuz
The latest strikes have further escalated tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies normally pass.
The US and Iran are now seeking to assert control over the strategic waterway, which Tehran effectively closed after the war began. Oil prices have surged as renewed clashes raise concerns over further disruptions to global energy supplies.
Oil supply fears push prices higher
Crude prices, already up about 7% this week, extended gains following Tuesday’s strikes. Oil has risen more than 50% this year, pushing US gasoline prices higher. The average price of regular gasoline in the US rose to about $4.10 a gallon, compared with $3.19 a year earlier, according to AAA.
The renewed military action comes after the Trump administration had focused heavily on economic pressure, arguing that targeting Iran’s economy could push Tehran towards a breaking point. The escalation now comes as US stocks of advanced missile interceptors have reportedly been under pressure and the conflict remains unpopular among many Americans.
