New Delhi, Jul 15: The United States resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports and launched a fresh wave of airstrikes across Iran, intensifying military pressure on Tehran as the conflict entered a new phase amid mounting concerns over the security of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces resumed the naval blockade at 4 pm Eastern Time, preventing vessels from transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.
"US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 pm ET. There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
Earlier, the command announced that US forces had begun another round of attacks on Iranian military targets.
"At 3 pm ET today, US Central Command forces began launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade goes into effect at 4 pm ET," CENTCOM said.
According to reports, explosions were heard in Sirik, eastern Hormozgan, Bampur, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz and Qeshm Island, as US forces expanded operations across southern Iran.
In a separate statement, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilians and commercial shipping in the Gulf.
"Over the past seven days, Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region by attacking seven commercial ships resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured. Iranian forces have also launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf countries. US forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives," Cooper said.
The latest escalation came as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had destroyed US weapons and military equipment in Kuwait and Bahrain, US President Donald Trump said military operations against Iran would continue.
"Strikes on Iran will continue until I say enough," Trump told Fox News, while also claiming that Washington and Tehran had held talks on Tuesday despite the ongoing military confrontation, BBC reported.
In a significant policy reversal, Trump withdrew his earlier proposal to impose a 20 percent charge on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Instead, he said Gulf countries would make "massive" investments in the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "I have decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States. Those investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future."
He added that the Strait of Hormuz "is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran" and claimed that "oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military."
Speaking later after meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Washington, Trump said he had abandoned the transit fee proposal after receiving appeals from Gulf leaders.
"I don't like the concept of a fee, but at the same time, it's not fair that we're protecting this Strait for the entire world," he said.
The US Treasury Department also announced fresh sanctions targeting several Iranian individuals, companies and vessels as part of Washington's campaign to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
Iranian President MasoudPezeshkian hit back at Trump's repeated threats, saying the Iranian people would respond through action rather than rhetoric.
According to Iran's official news agency IRNA, Pezeshkian said hostile statements by the United States had become routine but questioned whether Washington had achieved any of its objectives.
"Those who intended to break our Iran into pieces, where have they ended up?" Pezeshkian said while responding to a question on Trump's remarks.
He stressed that Iran would continue to defend its sovereignty, saying the country believed it must "defend every inch of its territory in practice" and that Trump's "disrespectful remarks are only worthy of them, not the Iranian nation."
The Iranian President also called for preserving national unity and solidarity, warning that any actions creating divisions within society would weaken the country's strength.
He said Iran's response to external pressure would be demonstrated "in practice" rather than through words, IRNA reported.
Iran responded by insisting it remained in control of the Strait of Hormuz despite the renewed US blockade.
The latest military escalation has rattled global energy markets, with oil prices rising sharply as commercial tanker traffic through the strategic waterway remained severely disrupted.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil exports, making it one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.
US LAUNCHES ANOTHER ROUND OF DAY-TIME STRIKES ON IRAN
The United States on Wednesday launched a fresh wave of day-time military strikes against Iran, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) saying the operation was aimed at degrading Iranian military capabilities allegedly used to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said, "At 6 am ET today, US Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran. The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
The latest strikes came as fighting between the United States and Iran entered its fourth consecutive day, with both sides continuing to exchange attacks.
US STRIKES KILL 35, INJURES 300
At least 35 people have been killed and around 300 others injured in US attacks on Iran, over the past few days, Iran's Health Ministry has said, as reported by Al Jazeera.
According to the Health Ministry spokesperson, most of the casualties have been reported from Iran's southern provinces. The latest US strikes included a barrage of 13 missiles in southern Iran, which reportedly killed seven Iranian troops.
Meanwhile, Iran vowed retaliation against the attacks. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iranian forces targeted US military assets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, and claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on the US positions in Bahrain. Al Jazeera reported that tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate following the latest exchange of attacks.
