The United States has launched a new wave of airstrikes against Iranian targets, raising fears of a broader escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
The US Central Command said American forces began striking targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following what Washington described as attempted Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US personnel deployed in the region.
Reports also emerged of explosions on Iran’s Qeshm Island, while state-linked media reported blasts in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
The latest strikes come after a weekend exchange of attacks. US forces had earlier targeted Iran’s Larak Island, while Tehran responded with missile attacks on two US air bases in Jordan.
The renewed military action has also pushed up oil prices, with concerns growing over disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.
Despite Washington’s warnings of a strong response, US President Donald Trump said the latest confrontation did not necessarily mean a return to full-scale war. An Iranian official also described the exchange as a “limited and contained confrontation.”
However, both sides have warned of further retaliation, increasing concerns that the ongoing economic and political standoff could once again turn into a wider military conflict.
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