The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes on Iran, marking the fifth day of renewed hostilities between the two countries despite a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the conflict.
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran that it had "better behave" as tensions escalated over Iran's actions in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said the strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities used to threaten commercial vessels passing through the strategically important waterway. According to US Central Command (Centcom), Iranian command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities were among the targets.
A 90-minute operation also struck coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island. Later strikes targeted facilities in Bandar Abbas, a key Iranian city located on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that air defences were activated in Tehran, while a hospital in Ahvaz was evacuated following nearby missile strikes.
Iran said it had retaliated by targeting US military sites in the region, including facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. Jordan's military confirmed it intercepted eight drones and reported no casualties or material damage.
President Trump reiterated his warning to Iran while speaking to reporters and delegates at a defence summit.
"I don't like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know the story. They better behave," Trump said.
He added that Iran was "not happy right now" and suggested the US could either reach a settlement or take further military action if necessary.
The latest escalation follows Trump's threat earlier this week to strike Iranian bridges and power plants unless Tehran returned to negotiations.
Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran had "no reason" to honour the preliminary agreement if it no longer served Iran's interests. He maintained that negotiations and military resistance remain central to Iran's strategy during what he described as an "existential" conflict with the United States.
Meanwhile, Trump welcomed what he described as a goodwill gesture from Iran after the release of American detainee Dena Karari, who had been held in Iran since December 2024. Trump confirmed she had safely left the country and was returning to the United States.
The renewed fighting has also seen the US reinstate its blockade on Iranian ports, preventing commercial vessels from entering or leaving Iranian coastal areas. Centcom said it had already redirected two commercial ships since the blockade was reimposed.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that other oil and gas export routes used by the US and its allies could face disruption in response, though it did not provide further details.
The escalating conflict continues to highlight the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes, with global oil prices rising amid growing concerns over disruptions to commercial tanker traffic.
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