Jon Gambrell and Michelle Price
Dubai: The United States military says it has begun another round of strikes against Iran.
US Central Command said in a social media post that the military was striking “multiple targets in Iran” and that it’s being done “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression”.
Several explosions were heard at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas close to the airport, Iran’s IRNA agency reported. Iran’s Mehr agency said explosions had also been heard in the port of Gorgan, while Press TV said a location in Sirik had been hit by “enemy projectiles”.
The strikes come just a day after the US struck Iran following the crash of an army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that President Donald Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic.
The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, with Trump earlier warning that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations.
Trump’s warnings at the White House and on social media came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan – all of which host American troops – came under Iranian fire. It was the second time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire. On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.
“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters at the White House, hours after the US said it struck Iranian military sites.
Trump’s comments underlined his whipsaw approach to the war; earlier this week, he suggested a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days.
Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial passageway for oil and natural gas – gives it a strong bargaining chip.
Iran’s United Nations envoy said the US should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.
“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.
