The United States has executed a fifth consecutive night of military strikes against Iran, coinciding with the imminent re-establishment of a naval blockade on Iranian ports set for Tuesday. President Donald Trump has indicated, however, that an agreement with Tehran remains “possible,” according to reports.
During a five-hour mission, US forces targeted military installations in several southern Iranian port cities, including Bushehr and Bandar Abbas, as confirmed by the US Central Command (Centcom) in a morning briefing.
Reports indicate that four explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas, a key port city located in the Strait of Hormuz, as per the Iranian news agency Irna.
The targets included “coastal defense systems, drone installations, and missile capabilities, as well as maritime assets,” Centcom stated, sharing images on X.
Trump declared in a radio interview, “We will strike them hard tonight and we will strike them hard again tomorrow.” He commented that Iranian leaders are “incapable of doing anything against” these assaults.
Naval Blockade Set to Resume on Tuesday Evening
Similar to the previous day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported targeting sites in Bahrain, including a building housing American military personnel at the Juffair base. Alert sirens had also been activated earlier in the kingdom.
Additionally, the United Arab Emirates reported Iranian missile attacks on two of their tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the death of an Indian crew member.
Despite the ongoing exchanges of fire, Trump suggested to the press at the White House that a deal with Iran is still “possible.” Prior to this, he announced on Truth Social that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz and that the blockade of Iranian ports would be reinstated.
This blockade is scheduled to come into effect on Tuesday at 20:00 GMT (23:00 in Romania), according to the US military.
While Tehran seeks to levy a toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has proposed that the US should receive “appropriate compensation of 20% of the value of the cargoes” transiting by sea, which contradicts international law intended to ensure freedom of navigation.
Trump Mocked by Iranian Foreign Minister
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X, stating, “Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait and will remain so forever.” He further sarcastically remarked, “Trump is absolutely right. Anyone ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated; however, 20% is obviously too much. We will be fair.”
The Revolutionary Guards accused the United States of jeopardizing global oil supplies.
Oil prices surged dramatically on Monday, with Brent crude, the international benchmark, rising by over 9%. On Tuesday at around 03:00 GMT, it increased by 1.32%, reaching $84.40 per barrel.
Following nearly 40 days of bombardments related to the conflict that erupted after Israeli-American strikes on February 28, a ceasefire took effect in early April and was ratified on June 17 through a protocol agreement.
However, the recent strikes on Tuesday against vessels attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz have reignited clashes with unprecedented intensity, prompting Trump to declare that the ceasefire is “over.”
Last week, the US president also sent an official notification to Congress indicating that the conflict with Iran has flared up again.
