US Central Command confirmed this evening (Wednesday) that US military forces have begun carrying out strikes against Iran - for the second time in 24 hours, to harm the regime's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command's statement said: "We have begun carrying out additional strikes against Iran, with the aim of continuing to undermine its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States holds Iran responsible for the latest and unjustified aggression against merchant ships and civilian crews, who were sailing freely in a vital international shipping lane.".
So far, regime targets in the provinces of Sirik, Bushehr, and Chabahar have been bombed. Attacks have also been carried out on the island of Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf and the port city of Jask near the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohsen Rezaei, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, issued a direct threat to the United States and its allies in the region, following the American attacks on Iran. In a post he published on his X network account, he wrote: "The aggressor enemy and its partners will be severely punished.".
President Trump commented on last night's attacks on Iran in a post on Truth Social: "This is revenge for the bombing of ships yesterday by Iran. If it happens again - it will be much worse!".
An American official told CNN in an interview on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, which is in the northern Arabian Sea: "The ceasefire with Iran has been terminated, at least temporarily.".
The official said the situation with Iran continues to be very dynamic and that there may be additional strikes beyond what has been announced. He said the US military is on standby, and the targets last night were missiles and drones that could be used against US assets, such as aircraft carriers.
He added that the US was also targeting targets around the Strait of Hormuz - which could threaten shipping in the area. The US Navy participated in the latest round of attacks, which came from both land and sea.
Earlier today, President Trump declared that the bombing of Iran would continue. "The memorandum of understanding with Iran is dead - the ceasefire is over. Talking to the Iranians is a waste of time. Something is wrong with them. They are crazy.".
He added: "They are scum. I hate them, nobody likes them. They must not be allowed to get nuclear weapons. We may be wasting our time with them. I don't think they know what they are doing. They will not succeed, because otherwise they would have reached a deal a long time ago.".
