US Strikes Iran for Fourth Day as Naval Blockade Returns

US forces carried out the latest Iran strikes for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday while reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. [1] CENTCOM stated the strikes targeted Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has hit seven commercial ships in the past week, killing, injuring or leaving missing nearly a dozen crew members. [1]

US Launches Fourth Day of Strikes and Reimposes Blockade

US forces carried out strikes against Iran for a fourth day in a row on Tuesday and reimposed a naval blockade to prevent ships from sailing to or from the country's ports. [1] CENTCOM said the latest strikes were aimed at degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the strait. [1] The renewed US naval blockade came into force at 2000 GMT an hour after the US strikes began. [1] Iranian state media reported explosions near the port city of Bandar Abbas, on the Gulf island of Qeshm near the Strait of Hormuz, and other locations. [1] Local authorities also said US forces struck four points in Bushehr which hosts Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant as well as an Iranian border area near Iraq and Kuwait. [1] Centcom said US fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels carried out a seven-hour operation targeting Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities and coastal defence systems. [3] The strikes coincided with the return of the US naval blockade which went into effect at 4 p.m. ET on the day of the operation. [3]

Trump's Warnings and Policy Shift on Hormuz

While US President Donald Trump backtracked on his threat to heavily tax ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, he warned he would expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to a deal. [1] Trump said in an interview on Fox News that next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants and next week comes the bridges. [1] He added that the United States would knock out all their power plants and all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate. [1] Trump said he was scrapping a planned levy on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz that he announced Monday replacing the fee with trade deals with Gulf allies. [1] He stated he had decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States. [1] Trump also said US officials had conveyed a message directly to Tehran that they better make a deal. [3]

Iranian Retaliatory Attacks Across the Region

Iranian state news agency IRNA later said that Iranian forces launched a drone attack on a military base in Jordan that hosts American warplanes. [1] Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced Tuesday that they had fired missiles and drones on Bahrain targeting a residential building for US forces and other facilities. [1] The IRGC also warned that if Washington attempted to control regional maritime routes the consequences would extend beyond Hormuz. [3] The IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the end of America's evils while warning that other oil and gas export routes serving the United States and its allies could also be shut if the conflict escalates. [3] The group added that regional energy exports would be for everyone or for no one. [3] The IRGC claimed it had targeted US military facilities in Kuwait according to Iranian state media. [3] Tehran also said its army launched drone attacks against US positions at Jordan's Azraq air base. [3]

Impact on Shipping and Civilian Casualties

Admiral Brad Cooper head of CENTCOM said in a statement Tuesday that over the past week Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region by attacking seven commercial ships resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed missing or injured. [1] Iran had earlier Tuesday said a previous round of US strikes targeted Qeshm. [1] Trump meanwhile said he was scrapping a planned levy on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. [1] Iran in turn hit two ships in the Strait of Hormuz killing two crew members according to the International Maritime Organization. [1] A Norwegian tanker was also hit by an explosion caused by an unidentified device off the Omani coast early Tuesday. [1] Kuwait said one of its naval vessels was struck during an Iranian missile and drone barrage wounding four crew members. [1] On Tuesday one Indian crew member was killed and eight others injured after two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. [3] Since last week renewed US attacks have killed at least 28 people in Iran according to a tally by French press agency AFP based on Iranian media and official announcements. [1]

Regional and International Reactions

France Germany and the UK condemn Iran attacks as renewed fighting with US puts peace deal at risk. [1] Bahrain said it had intercepted several treacherous aerial attacks launched by Iran and accused Tehran of targeting civilians after explosions and sirens were heard in Manama several times. [1] Jordan said Tuesday that it had shot down four missiles from Iran. [1] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iranian leaders Tuesday that Israel would deal a heavy blow if they launched an attack on his country. [1] He told them do not count on things remaining quiet if you attack us. [1] The days are over when someone strikes us and we don't hit back with a decisive blow. [1] Jordan military later said it downed three missiles from Iran. [3] Bahrain's Interior Ministry said air raid sirens had sounded across the country and urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter. [3] Kuwait's Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted Iranian drones while the state news agency reported that a fire had been brought under control. [3] Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US decision to renew the blockade has in a way dismantled the Islamabad memorandum. [1]

Context of the Renewed Conflict

The latest escalation follows the collapse of a fragile truce reached in June after months of fighting between the United States and Iran. [3] Tehran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz once again following the renewed hostilities. [3] A senior Iranian official said the move effectively wrecked a deal struck with Washington to pause the conflict for peace talks. [1] Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected suggestions that increased military pressure would force Tehran back to the negotiating table. [3]

What to watch next: Trump warned that next week would bring strikes on power plants and bridges unless a deal is reached while the IRGC stated the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the end of US actions. [1][3]