The United States carried out fresh airstrikes on multiple targets inside Iran for the second straight day after accusing Tehran of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement by attacking an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the latest strikes targeted 10 Iranian military sites, including surveillance systems, communication networks, air defence positions, drone storage facilities, and mine-laying capabilities.
CENTCOM said the operation came after Iran allegedly launched a one-way attack drone at the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku, which was carrying nearly two million barrels of crude oil.
“Iran was given a chance to honour the ceasefire agreement, but elected not to,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Trump warns Iran of “complete destruction”
US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning after the strikes, saying Washington may take even harsher action if Iran continues its attacks.
“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites for violating the ceasefire agreement, again,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable and will be forced to militarily complete the job. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist,” he said.
Trump’s statement has further increased fears of a wider regional conflict.
Iran responds with threats and regional attacks
Iran’s military warned that American bases in the Gulf region would “experience hell” in the coming days.
A spokesperson from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said the US strikes near Sirik would not weaken Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“The reckoning for American bases in the region is a separate matter. They will experience hell in the coming days,” the IRGC said.
Iran also claimed it launched missile and drone attacks on US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iranian military spokesperson Ibrahim al-Fiqar said Iranian forces targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base and facilities linked to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Tensions rise in the Gulf
The fresh exchange of strikes has put the Middle East on edge again, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
Despite the attacks, CENTCOM said commercial shipping continues through the waterway but stressed that US forces remain “vigilant, lethal, and ready.”
Meanwhile, authorities in Kuwait said their air defence systems intercepted hostile drones and missiles. Sirens were also reported in parts of Bahrain and Kuwait, with residents told to stay calm and move to safe places.
