WASHINGTON – The United States launched a new round of military strikes against Iran Tuesday, with President Donald Trump describing the attacks as “large and powerful” and warning that an Iranian response would bring substantially heavier U.S. firepower.
U.S. Central Command confirmed American forces were striking targets belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. CENTCOM said the operation followed attempted IRGC attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members stationed in the region.
Trump announced the operation in a social media post Tuesday afternoon. He said the strikes were retaliation for an Iranian attempt to deploy sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz and an attack involving eight missiles fired toward a U.S. military base in Jordan.
New U.S. Strikes Hit Iran
“The United States is, as we speak, striking Iranian Targets near the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote.
The president said mines Iran attempted to put into the strait had either been removed or detonated. He also said all eight missiles fired toward the American base in Jordan were successfully intercepted.
The latest strikes follow another U.S. operation Sunday against Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island. U.S. officials said those launchers were being prepared for an operation involving sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
- CENTCOM confirmed Tuesday that U.S. forces were striking IRGC targets inside Iran.
- Trump said the operation was retaliation for attempted Iranian mine deployment and missile attacks against U.S. forces.
- The president threatened a significantly larger attack if Tehran retaliates again.
Why is the United States striking Iran today?
CENTCOM said the strikes followed attempted IRGC attacks against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and American military personnel in the region. Trump specifically cited Iran’s attempted deployment of sea mines and missiles fired at a U.S. base in Jordan.
Iran responded to the earlier U.S. operation by launching ballistic missiles at U.S. sites in Jordan. American officials reported no casualties from those missiles.
The renewed fighting ends a month-long pause in direct military action between the United States and Iran.
Trump Threatens Much Larger Attack
Trump’s announcement went beyond confirming the strikes. He issued a direct warning about what could happen if Iran answers Tuesday’s operation with another military 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 then threatened an attack larger than Tuesday’s operation, saying it was “waiting in the wings.”
Trump claimed that after such an attack, “there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The White House has not publicly detailed what Trump meant by the larger operation or identified potential targets. CENTCOM also did not immediately disclose which specific Iranian sites were being struck Tuesday.
Where are the U.S. strikes taking place?
Trump said the targets are near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM described them as IRGC targets inside Iran but did not immediately release a detailed target list.
Strait of Hormuz Again at Center of Fighting
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central flashpoints in the conflict. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a major route for global oil and gas shipments.
Commercial shipping through the area has already been severely disrupted by the conflict. The latest exchange raises the possibility of further interruptions and additional pressure on global energy markets.
Oil prices jumped Tuesday as the fighting intensified, with traders reacting to the prospect of another prolonged military exchange around the strait.
Iran, meanwhile, has warned that the United States will face consequences for the new strikes. The IRGC said Tuesday that Washington would regret the attacks, raising the possibility that the exchange may not be over.
Did Iran’s missiles hit the U.S. base in Jordan?
Trump said eight Iranian missiles were fired toward the American base and all were intercepted. U.S. officials have reported no American casualties from that attack.
The situation remains active, and details about Tuesday’s U.S. targets, damage inside Iran and any additional Iranian response were still emerging Tuesday afternoon.
Sources: U.S. Central Command, official statements on U.S. military operations; Donald Trump, statement announcing Tuesday’s strikes;
