Fresh US airstrikes have hit southern Iran, widening the military confrontation between Washington and Tehran just a day after both sides exchanged attacks that raised fears of a deeper conflict in the Gulf.
Iranian state media reported explosions in the southern port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas, both located along the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. More blasts were also reported in Konarak and Chabahar, while air defence systems were activated in Bandar Abbas as the attacks unfolded.
The latest military action came after US President Donald Trump vowed to "hit them hard again tonight" following Tuesday's exchange of attacks. After the strikes, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!"
The latest developments also triggered security concerns across the Gulf. Bahrain reported explosions in its capital, Manama, Kuwait said it intercepted missiles and drones, while Qatar issued a security alert after reporting Iranian attacks.
Iran's parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, responded with a warning on X, saying America "still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free".
"Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you'll get hit," he wrote, adding that the Strait of Hormuz will only open under Iranian arrangements and not "American threats".
The US Central Command (Centcom) said the latest operation was intended to "further degrade Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation" through the strategic waterway.
In a statement, the command said: "The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway."
Iranian state television reported eight explosions in Bandar Abbas and said two missiles struck the ports of Sirik and Jask. It also reported that two projectiles hit Abu Musa Island, an area claimed by both Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The full impact of the strikes was not immediately clear. Iranian media reported power outages in Chabahar and a fire at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) barracks in Bushehr. The Iranian Students' News Agency later said two of the three damaged power lines in Chabahar had been restored quickly, while work was underway to reconnect the remaining line.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday evening, Trump said Iran had reached out to the United States seeking talks.
"They called a little while ago," he said, adding that Iran wanted to make a deal "so badly".
"I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal - I don't know that they're going to honour the deal, that's the problem."
The renewed fighting follows Tuesday's US strikes, which Washington said were launched after attacks on three tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Those exchanges marked the most serious military confrontation between the two countries since a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on June 17.
Trump declared on Wednesday that the agreement was "over", saying the United States had "hit them very hard last night" and would "probably hit them hard again tonight".
"I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people," he told reporters.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi answered in a post on X, saying: "We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valour."
The MoU contains 14 points, including a 60-day ceasefire period, continued negotiations, safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of US sanctions on Iran.
Although the 60-day negotiation period has not yet expired, Trump said he believes more talks would be "a waste of time".
The latest strikes are part of a series of military exchanges since the agreement was signed. The United States carried out strikes on June 26 after an Iranian projectile hit a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. More US strikes followed on June 27 after another attack targeted a tanker, before both countries later agreed to temporarily stand down.