The military confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, as President Donald Trump declared that American attacks would continue and Iranian forces claimed to have targeted US positions in Jordan.
US Central Command launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure at approximately 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, according to reports. The operation was aimed at further weakening Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes came as American forces prepared to renew a maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade was reportedly scheduled to take effect at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday.
CENTCOM later said the American attack lasted approximately five hours. Iranian locations reportedly targeted included Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas.
“These strikes will continue to inflict heavy losses on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US military said as the operation began.
Trump: “The strikes will continue”
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iranian energy sites were being reserved for a later stage of the campaign.
“The strikes will continue until I say it is enough,” Trump said, adding that Iran still had “a little fight left,” but “not much.”
The president also said American representatives had communicated with Iranian officials during the previous 24 hours, despite the continuing military escalation.
Trump had earlier warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard” during the night and again the following day.
Iran claims drone attack on US positions in Jordan
Iranian media reported that the Iranian military had launched drones against what it described as American positions at Jordan’s Azraq base.
The claim had not been independently confirmed. Iranian military officials reportedly said drone operations against US bases across the region would continue until “final victory.”
Iranian reports also said air-defense systems were activated near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran. Explosions were reportedly heard in several Iranian cities, including Ahvaz.
Initial reports also claimed that explosions had occurred in Chabahar, although Iran’s Tasnim news agency later cited local and security officials denying that blasts had taken place there.
Tasnim separately reported that several boats were damaged on Kish Island, west of the Strait of Hormuz, in an attack attributed by Iranian sources to the United States.
Kuwait intercepts suspected Iranian targets
Kuwait’s military announced that it had intercepted suspected aerial targets sent from Iran after they entered Kuwaiti airspace.
Kuwait’s state news agency also reported that firefighters had brought a blaze under control at a site targeted in what officials described as an Iranian attack.
Six firefighting teams responded with support from the Kuwaiti military and National Guard. No casualties were reported, and officials said the damage was limited to property.
Reports also emerged of Iranian missiles equipped with separating or multiple warheads being launched toward Bahrain. Footage circulating on Arab social media appeared to show such a projectile over Bahraini airspace, although the precise nature of the weapon could not be independently verified.
Air-raid sirens were activated in Bahrain during the Iranian attacks.
Iranian retaliation targets Gulf shipping
Following the American strikes, two United Arab Emirates gas tankers were reportedly hit by Iranian cruise missiles.
One crew member was killed, while several others were wounded, including four who were reported to be in serious condition.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned regional governments against cooperating with the United States.
“Cooperation with the aggressive enemy in the Strait of Hormuz will delay the reopening of the waterway and cause a global energy crisis,” the IRGC said.
Iran also threatened to prevent oil from leaving the region for as long as American military operations continue.
“Not a single drop of oil will leave this region as long as the malicious actions of the United States continue,” Iranian officials warned. “These attacks will only delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Despite the threats and ongoing fighting, CNN reported that at least 22 commercial ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz during the previous 24 hours.
Tehran says it will not request negotiations
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would not be the first party to request renewed negotiations with Washington.
Speaking on Iranian state television, Gharibabadi claimed that US military action had disrupted an earlier understanding between the two countries.
He said he had told a European foreign ministry official that Iran had not abandoned negotiations and accused Washington of destroying the diplomatic process through military action.
According to Gharibabadi, the assumption that military pressure would force Iran to make concessions was mistaken.
Tehran, he said, would not change its position regarding the Strait of Hormuz or ease the restrictions it had imposed there.
“We will never ask for negotiations with the United States,” he declared.
The latest exchange has widened the conflict beyond Iranian territory, threatening American installations, Gulf states, international shipping and global energy supplies as both Washington and Tehran signal that they are not yet prepared to end the confrontation.
