US Hits Iran With New Strikes

The United States military has carried out fresh strikes in southern Iran, hitting missile launch sites and vessels the Pentagon says were attempting to lay mines near the Strait of Hormuz.

What Happened

The U.S. military struck missile launch sites and mine-laying boats in southern Iran on Monday, according to U.S. Central Command. CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins said in a statement that U.S. forces conducted the strikes "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces," with targets including "missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines," adding that the command continues to "defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire."

The strikes were carried out in the Bandar Abbas area, which hosts Iran's main naval base, destroying two vessels of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and hitting a surface-to-air missile site. A senior U.S. official said two IRGC boats were detected in the act of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering the military response. Four people were killed in the attack, though the total number of casualties remained unclear, according to Iranian state television.

Explosions were reported across multiple locations near the Strait, with Iranian media reporting blasts in Bandar Abbas and additional explosions heard near Sirik and Jask along the southern coast. A senior U.S. official later said the strikes were "over for now," with two additional sources telling Fox News that the operation did not represent the end of the ceasefire, emphasising that the strikes were limited in scope and intent.

Ceasefire and Diplomacy Under Strain

There was no announcement of any change in the temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, which went into effect on April 8. The action nonetheless raises fresh questions about the durability of that arrangement, coming at a sensitive moment in ongoing negotiations.

The strikes occurred even as President Donald Trump said on social media that negotiations were "proceeding nicely." The military action came alongside a fresh demand from Trump on Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, with Trump describing the material as "nuclear dust" and laying out two options for its disposal in a post on Truth Social.

The incident underscores the fragile balance Washington is attempting to maintain: defending its forces in the region while keeping diplomatic channels open with Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil exports pass, remains a focal point of the standoff.

Sources:
CP24 / AP: U.S. military says it carried out self-defense strikes in Iran
Xinhua: U.S. forces strike Iran's missile sites, mine-laying boats
NBC News: U.S. military says it conducted strikes against targets in Iran