The United States Central Command has launched a third round of consecutive airstrikes targeting Iranian positions, the military body announced on Monday via its official X account. CENTCOM said the bombardment would keep mounting pressure on Tehran's forces and weaken their capacity to threaten civilian populations and merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump had signaled the strikes were coming during an interview with Hugh Hewitt, predicting more military action would unfold Monday and Tuesday nights. Trump claimed the US was seizing control of the strategic waterway and suggested wealthy nations ought to bankroll American operations securing the corridor.
The president also accused Iranian negotiators of abandoning earlier accords and threatened escalated military action should Tehran break any ceasefire arrangement. He said the US would not tolerate further Iranian violations.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei responded by insisting Tehran would honor its duties only after Washington demonstrated full compliance with its own obligations. Baqaei told reporters that Iran hasn't abandoned diplomatic efforts despite the strikes.
Iran remains engaged with mediators including Qatar, Oman and Pakistan to prevent the conflict from spiraling and preserve back-channel communications, according to Baqaei. The diplomatic channels, he stressed, remain critical to de-escalation.
The airstrikes represent a dramatic escalation in Middle East tensions, with Trump's administration adopting an aggressive posture toward Tehran. The US military action aims to degrade Iran's capacity to project power across the Persian Gulf region.
