The United States has begun striking targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran over attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday (September 1) that US forces began the strikes at 12 p.m. ET, citing recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial vessels in the strategic waterway as well as against American service members stationed in the region.
“Today at 12 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
The command said the strikes followed “recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region.”
The latest escalation comes days after the US military struck rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran subsequently launched missiles toward US sites in Jordan, which were intercepted, while the United Arab Emirates said it had stopped an Iranian drone over its waters.
President Donald Trump acknowledged Monday that additional US strikes could be necessary.
Fresh attacks reported on tankers
The renewed fighting has also raised concerns over commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received reports of an attack on a ship in the strait and another incident involving a tanker in nearby waters.
In the first incident, UKMTO said a tanker was struck by three projectiles on Monday while travelling out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, east of Oman. No casualties or environmental damage were reported.
A second report involved a tanker and military forces off the coast of Oman, also east of the strait. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The attacks come as Iran seeks to assert greater control over the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of global oil shipments traditionally passes.
Iran says it controls Strait of Hormuz
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf claimed Tehran has effective control over the waterway despite the reduced movement of commercial vessels.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a place where at least 120 ships used to transit every 24 hours,” Qalibaf said in a video posted on a state television Telegram channel. He claimed that even if only two or three ships pass through on some nights, it demonstrates Iranian control over the strait.
Qalibaf also accused the US and its allies of expanding the conflict beyond military operations into economic and information warfare.
He said Iran would not surrender through diplomacy and accused its adversaries of attempting to create unrest inside the country.
Pezeshkian calls for return to ceasefire commitments
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has criticised the Trump administration while continuing to signal that Tehran could return to negotiations.
Speaking before a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pezeshkian accused the US of unjustified aggression and alleged that American attacks had killed Iranian leaders, commanders, scientists and civilians.
Pezeshkian later said Iran would immediately reciprocate if Washington returned to its commitments under a June memorandum of understanding, according to Iranian state media.
The memorandum had established a 60-day period for negotiations aimed at securing a broader peace agreement. Under the arrangement, Iran agreed to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to transit, while the US agreed to end its naval blockade, ease sanctions, issue waivers for Iranian oil exports and begin work on a reconstruction package.
The ceasefire, however, quickly broke down. Although fighting subsequently eased for several weeks, the US and Iran exchanged fire again over the weekend.
Economic pressure returns to centre stage
The renewed military action follows a period in which Trump appeared to shift toward using economic pressure against Tehran.
Trump had promised an “economic D-Day” against Iran, threatening to intensify sanctions on a country that has faced US economic restrictions for decades.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard remains a powerful force in shaping Tehran’s approach to the conflict. While Pezeshkian has supported a negotiated settlement, the IRGC has pushed for greater Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz and financial compensation for damage caused by the war.
The latest US strikes, tanker incidents and Iranian warnings have once again placed the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the conflict, raising concerns about the security of global energy supplies and commercial shipping.
