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The United States launched another round of military strikes against Iran on Wednesday night as negotiations aimed at ending the three-month conflict continued to crumble and Iran’s government threatened to target vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command said American forces began “additional self-defense strikes” around 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets inside Iran in response to what it described as Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression.”
Iranian media reported explosions across southern Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, including around Qeshm, Kargan and Sirik, following what state outlets described as new strikes by “enemy projectiles.”
Iran’s navy later said it targeted two ships attempting to transit the strategic waterway, according to reports from Iranian state television and the Mehr news agency. Iranian media also claimed Iranian forces attacked the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, striking communications antennas and radar facilities.
Following the latest U.S. strikes, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command warned that “any vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” according to the Tasnim news agency. The command also declared the strait “completely closed to all types of vessel.”
CENTCOM disputed those claims, saying commercial shipping traffic continued moving through the strait.
“Commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight,” the command said.
President Donald Trump told Fox News that Iranian leaders contacted him directly during the bombing campaign and asked that the attacks stop.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard quickly denied that account through the IRNA news agency.
Trump said U.S. forces used 49 Tomahawk missiles during the strikes and claimed some targets were located within 40 miles of Tehran.
“If Iran does not accept U.S. terms for ending the three-month-old war, President Trump said, quote, ‘We’ll bomb the [expletive] out of them tomorrow night,’” Fox News reporter Trey Yingst said while describing his conversation with the president.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the strikes could continue, saying future military action would remain “strong.”