Trump warns of more strikes as US-Iran attacks intensify, Hormuz tensions rise and regional instability threatens fragile ceasefire efforts.
Tensions in West Asia escalated sharply on Thursday as the United States and Iran exchanged fresh military strikes for a second consecutive day, raising fears that a fragile ceasefire agreed earlier this year could unravel into a wider regional conflict.
The latest escalation followed a series of tit-for-tat attacks that began earlier this week after a US Apache helicopter was reportedly downed near the Strait of Hormuz. The incident triggered retaliatory military action by both sides and renewed concerns over regional stability, energy supplies and ongoing diplomatic efforts to end hostilities.
The United States military said it had completed a fresh round of strikes targeting multiple sites across Iran. In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces attacked Iranian “military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defence sites” in what it described as a response to Tehran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression”.
The strikes, carried out by the US Air Force, Navy and Marines, reportedly targeted locations across Iran, including southern areas near Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Minab, where explosions were reported by Iranian media.
US President Donald Trump also hardened his stance, warning Tehran of further military action if negotiations failed. According to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, Trump said the current strikes could stop shortly but warned that the US would resume heavy bombing if Iran did not immediately agree to a peace deal. Yingst shared the remarks on X.
“The strikes would stop shortly,” Trump reportedly said, while cautioning that Iran would “pay the price” if talks remained stalled.
Iran, however, responded with retaliatory attacks against US military assets in the region. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced strikes on American positions in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, including the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and the al-Azraq air base in Jordan.
Iranian state-linked reports claimed ballistic missiles had been launched against at least 18 US-linked military targets. Authorities in Kuwait said their air defence systems intercepted hostile aerial objects, while Bahrain confirmed its defences had destroyed incoming threats.
According to Mehr News Agency, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said threats against the country’s critical infrastructure reflected “desperation” rather than strength. In a post on X, Pezeshkian said Iran would remain steadfast against pressure and threats while relying on national unity and domestic expertise.
The conflict has also reportedly affected civilian infrastructure inside Iran. According to Press TV, officials in Iran’s Hormozgan province said pre-dawn US strikes severely damaged water supply facilities in Sirik county, disrupting access to drinking water for more than 20,000 residents in Kuhestak town and 10 nearby villages.
Abdolhamid Hamzehpour, managing director of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, claimed that reservoirs and pumping systems were destroyed, halting water distribution at a time when temperatures in the region are hovering between 45°C and 50°C. While US officials have maintained that their operations targeted military infrastructure, Iranian provincial authorities alleged that civilian facilities were directly affected.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts appeared increasingly strained. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, told the UN Security Council that Tehran would not negotiate “under threats and pressure,” urging Washington to refrain from military coercion if it sought a diplomatic resolution.
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The renewed confrontation has also rattled global energy markets. Oil prices rose nearly $3 after Trump’s warning of further escalation, with Brent crude extending gains in Asian trade amid concerns over disruptions to global energy flows.
Adding to market anxiety, Mehr News Agency reported that Iran’s military had ordered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships. The strategic waterway is one of the world’s most important transit routes for oil and gas shipments.
The conflict has also spilled beyond Iran and the US. Israeli military operations in Lebanon reportedly continued on Wednesday, with fresh strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. Reports suggested the death toll from Israeli attacks since March had risen to 3,696.
The latest round of exchanges marks the third major test of the ceasefire reached in April, significantly dimming hopes for a quick diplomatic breakthrough to end the war that began in late February following large-scale US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.
