US launches fresh strikes on Iran around Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI/WASHINGTON: Fresh US air strikes were mounted on Tuesday on targets in Iran in what could be seen as an attempt to dash any hopes for an end to the recent shooting that has seen both sides exchange fire.

Prices had already shot up after the first shooting that involved direct strikes between both countries since July, and after reports of two tankers being attacked while sailing out of the Strait, the oil shipping channel which Iran had effectively blocked off to vessels.

Tehran, however, refused to back down and stated that it would try and block any oil from being exported from the Gulf region, despite threats of retaliation from the United States’ president Donald Trump who said he would attack Iran “hard.”

The US treasury secretary Scott Bessent also issued a warning saying that new sanctions will be placed on Iran soon.

“Today at 12 p.m. ET (1600 GMT), US forces initiated strikes against IRGC targets in Iran,” the U.S. Central Command said in a tweet. “These strikes are a direct response to recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members in the region.”

Iran’s state broadcaster said there had been reports of explosions on Iran’s Qeshm Island, on the northern side of the strait.

The state-linked news ​agency Nour News said there had been reports of explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas and in Chabahar, a port on the southern coast.