US-Iran Tensions Escalate with Second Day of Strikes

The US unleashed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, its second in two days, in response to the regime’s attacks across the region, President Trump said. 

“The strikes are large and powerful, and in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!” he warned.  

The strikes began at 12 p.m. EST, with US Central Command noting that the attacks are focused against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which oversees the Strait of Hormuz.

“The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

The US renewed its airstrike campaign on Iran on Sunday as it targeted IRGC facilities attempting to place mines in the Strait. 

Tehran responded with its own drone strikes against Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, allegedly targeting US forces stationed in the countries. 

The Islamic Republic followed up with attacks on two supertankers carrying 4 million barrels of Saudi oil on Tuesday, with the ships reporting strikes from multiple projectiles near Oman’s coast. 

There have been at least nine attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz this month, with more than 72 recorded since March, according to the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization. 

The UAE and Qatar have warned that a return to the tit-for-tat attacks along the Strait would threaten stability in the region as they urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.