Dubai: Acting on orders from President Donald Trump, US forces struck multiple Iranian targets on Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, continuing a series of attacks that have undermined a fragile ceasefire in the war, AP reported.
CENTCOM said in a social media post that US aircraft struck Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities” in response to an attack earlier that morning on a commercial tanker.
The renewed strikes underscore how quickly the conflict can flare anew, despite an interim accord between Washington and Tehran aimed at negotiating a comprehensive agreement to end the war.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the US had “struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” He added a stark warning: “and will be forced to militarily complete the job.” He concluded, “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”
US: Attack On Tanker Prompted Strikes
CENTCOM said the strikes were in retaliation after Iranian forces attacked the oil tanker Kiku with a one-way drone. The Kiku, carrying more than two million barrels of crude, was transiting the Strait of Hormuz when it was struck, CENTCOM said.
Ship-tracking records show the Kiku had departed a Qatari oil field earlier in the week and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates on the Gulf of Aman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel appeared to be using a corridor established near Oman’s coast as an alternative to routes running through Iranian-controlled waters.
A multinational maritime organization overseen by the US Navy said it would widen the Omani route to permit both inbound and outbound traffic — a move likely to heighten tensions with Tehran, which regards control of the strait as strategic leverage in talks with the United States.
CENTCOM said Iran “had a chance to honour the ceasefire agreement” but “elected not to” when its forces attacked the Kiku.
Explosions Reported Near Strait
Iranian state television reported explosions in an area just north of the Strait of Hormuz following the strikes.
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said earlier on Saturday that a “number of Iranian drones” had targeted the kingdom, calling the incident “a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.” The ministry reported no immediate damage.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement, carried by state news agency IRNA, claiming it had struck several locations “of the US terrorist army in the region.” The IRGC did not specify which sites were hit.
Bahrain — a vocal critic of Tehran and home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet — recently hosted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers’ meeting that demanded an end to Iranian attacks and urged full reopening of the strait.
CENTCOM said overnight that it had hit Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar installations.
US Negotiator Warns Iran
US Vice President JD Vance, who has been leading negotiations with Tehran, urged Iran on social media to “pick up the phone” if it had disputes over the ceasefire, adding that “violence will be met with violence.”
The United States and Iran remain engaged in talks over several contentious issues, including safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments — and the future of Iran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Under the interim arrangement, both sides have 60 days to negotiate a final accord. Ending fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah is a central element of the talks.
Tanker Hit As Route Expands
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said a tanker was struck on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz; the crew were reported safe and there was no environmental damage. No group immediately claimed responsibility; suspicion pointed toward Iran.
Shortly after, the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by the US Navy, said the Omani coastal route would be expanded to handle outbound and inbound traffic.
Iran has insisted vessels follow its directives and warned it will begin charging transit fees. Ship operators, however, have increasingly sought to exit the Gulf.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, wrote on Friday that “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules.”
The US and Gulf Arab states reject those claims, viewing the strait as an international waterway despite its location within Iran’s and Oman’s territorial waters.
Mariners Warned Of Danger
The Joint Maritime Information Centre cautioned that the threat to ships remained “substantial,” and advised mariners that mines might be present and to expect naval forces conducting clearance operations.
The International Maritime Organization on Friday suspended a new ship evacuation effort, saying it would not resume until authorities could guarantee that vessels would not be attacked. The IMO added that about 115 ships had managed to transit out of the strait in recent days.
