The fragile ceasefire shattered on Tuesday as the United States launched a fresh barrage of air strikes on Iranian targets, dragging the six-month confrontation back to the brink of full war.
At 12 p.m. ET, U.S. Central Command said forces hit Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites across Iran.
The strikes came hours after what Washington called IRGC attacks on commercial ships and U.S. troops near the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital oil chokepoint.
Iranian media reported explosions lighting up Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Jask and Sirik. Tehran fired back within hours. President Donald Trump warned on social media that any retaliation would be met with “much harder and higher” force. An IRGC spokesperson quoted by Fars said the U.S. “will regret its new attacks.”
Strikes Rock Iran’s Coast
The escalation ended hopes that Sunday’s exchange — U.S. hits on Larak Island followed by Iranian missiles on two U.S. bases in Jordan — was a contained flare-up. The U.S. Embassy in Qatar told Americans in the region to brace for flight cancellations and airspace closures.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at a summit in Kyrgyzstan, said Tehran would respond instantly if Washington broke a June Memorandum of Understanding meant to freeze fighting. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf went further: “If the enemy wants us not to export oil from the Persian Gulf, no one will be able to export oil.”
Oil and Sanctions Fan the Flames
Markets reacted instantly. Brent crude, already up 2% after Monday’s attacks, jumped nearly another 2%. Shipping trackers Marisks and Kpler said two Saudi supertankers were struck by unknown projectiles minutes apart while exiting Hormuz late Monday.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would announce new bank sanctions this week and next, aiming to “economically asphyxiate” Iran’s leadership. He also flagged targets on airline leasing firms linked to the IRGC and warned countries trading with Tehran could face penalties.
As oil traders brace and diplomats scramble, the question now is whether this is another round — or the start of something far bigger.
