US carries out fresh strikes against Iran after tanker struck in Hormuz, escalating hostilities

The United States military launched fresh strikes against Iran on Saturday, hours after a Panama-flagged tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz. This action represents the most significant escalation between the two nations since they signed an interim peace deal two weeks prior, aimed at ending a four-month conflict. U.S. Central Command stated that the strikes were a direct response to ongoing Iranian aggression targeting commercial shipping. The military reported hitting Iranian military surveillance, communications, air defense, drone storage, and mine-laying facilities. A U.S. defense official later confirmed to Fox News that the strikes on Iranian targets were completed. This latest incident follows an attack on a cargo ship on Thursday, which had already heightened tensions. Iran has been asserting increased control over the vital energy shipping route. Britain's UKMTO maritime security agency confirmed the tanker struck on Saturday sustained damage to its bridge, though all crew members were reported safe. The Joint Maritime Information Center raised its security threat level due to the recent incidents. Iran has not directly commented on the specific ship attacks but has reported its Revolutionary Guards fired warning shots at unspecified vessels. Earlier, Iran's foreign ministry claimed to have launched "defensive" attacks on U.S.-linked military targets, while Bahrain reported an Iranian drone attack. U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that if Iran continued its actions, the "Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist."

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There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!