U.s. Launches New Wave of Strikes Against Iran, Trump Warns of Further Escalation
WASHINGTON — The United States launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran on Tuesday, sharply escalating renewed hostilities around the Strait of Hormuz as President Donald Trump warned Tehran that an even more devastating attack could follow if Iran retaliates.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that American forces began striking targets belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at 12 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 1.
“The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” CENTCOM said.
The military has not yet publicly released a full list of the targets struck or an assessment of the damage.
Trump announced the operation in a characteristically forceful statement, describing the strikes as “large and powerful” and saying they were retaliation for Iran’s recent actions around the strategically critical waterway.
The president then issued an extraordinary warning about what could come next.
“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level,” Trump wrote, adding that what he described as the largest potential U.S. attack is still “waiting in the wings.”
Trump concluded by declaring that if such an attack is ultimately carried out, “there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
A Rapid Escalation
Tuesday’s strikes come after a dramatic exchange of fire between the United States and Iran over the weekend that ended approximately a month without direct military action between the two countries.
On Sunday, U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. According to U.S. officials, IRGC forces had been observed preparing rockets capable of deploying sea mines into the waterway.
CENTCOM characterized that operation as a limited action intended to eliminate an imminent threat to commercial shipping.
Iran subsequently retaliated by launching ballistic missiles toward U.S. military sites in Jordan.
Jordan’s armed forces said its air defenses intercepted eight missiles that entered Jordanian airspace, destroying them before they could threaten populated areas. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the attack was retaliation for the American strike on Larak Island.
Trump responded Monday by promising that the United States would “hit them hard.” Tuesday’s operation appears to be the fulfillment of that warning.
Explosions Reported Across Southern Iran
Early reports indicate that Tuesday’s operation may be significantly broader than Sunday’s narrowly targeted strike.
Iranian media reported explosions in several areas along the country’s southern coast. Iranian state television reported explosions around Bandar Abbas, while other Iranian reports cited explosions in Sirik, Qeshm and other locations.
Axios, citing U.S. officials, reported that the operation is intended to prevent Iran from rebuilding or restoring military capabilities used to threaten ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait remains one of the most strategically important waterways in the world and has been at the center of the months-long confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is now how Iran will respond.
The Trump administration is publicly portraying the latest strikes as a response to Iranian aggression rather than the beginning of a new full-scale offensive. But Trump’s warning makes clear that the United States is prepared to escalate dramatically if Tehran launches another retaliatory attack.
With American forces once again striking targets inside Iran and Trump openly threatening a much larger operation, the month-long relative lull in direct U.S.-Iran fighting appears to be over.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
