Tensions between the United States and Iran have once again reached a dangerous turning point. On Sunday, the US military carried out attacks in several Iranian provinces, including Hormozgan, Markazi, Ahvaz, Bushehr, Khuzestan, and Sistan-Baluchistan. During the attacks, one person was killed in Khuzestan, while five others were injured. Meanwhile, US CENTCOM has confirmed that the US military has launched a new military operation against Iran aimed at weakening Tehran's ability to threaten commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Axios, citing a senior US official, the US military targeted several Iranian missile systems, air defense systems, and small speedboats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at multiple locations around Hormuz. According to US CENTCOM, President Donald Trump ordered the military operation to hold the Iranian military "accountable" and ensure maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also shared images on his social media account of strategic bombers and fighter aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor, B-1B Lancer, and B-2 Spirit, which are being viewed as a display of US military strength.
During the attacks, several explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Iranian authorities confirmed that the nearby island of Qeshm was also attacked. According to Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir Teymouri, 10 to 11 "enemy shells" landed on the island. He said that all the targets were military sites and that there were no reports of civilian injuries. Meanwhile, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported that a maintenance worker in Hormozgan Province was killed while on duty during the attacks, while two other workers were injured.
The ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran has now centered on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is unwilling to weaken its control over this strategic waterway, while the Trump administration considers it a major threat to global maritime trade. US officials say that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world's busiest shipping routes—would not only affect global trade but could also set a dangerous precedent for other key maritime routes, from the Strait of Malacca in Asia to the Bosporus in Europe. However, there are no signs that Tehran is backing down.
The 60-day interim process aimed at reaching a peace agreement between Iran and the United States was only halfway complete when military confrontation resumed between the two countries. President Donald Trump has said that he considers the ceasefire to be effectively over. However, he also made it clear that the possibility of future talks has not been completely ruled out and that he remains open to further negotiations.
