US Strikes Iran for Second Day as Hormuz Strait Closure Threatens Global Oil

WASHINGTON / TEHRAN — The United States military struck multiple targets across Iran for the second straight day on Wednesday, as the two countries edged closer to full-scale confrontation and Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical oil shipping lanes — closed to all maritime traffic.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the additional strikes at 5:15 p.m. Eastern time, characterising them as acts of self-defence in response to what it called Iran’s "unwarranted and continued aggression." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaking to reporters at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, confirmed the operations were targeting key Iranian facilities and framed the military campaign as a tool to expand diplomatic leverage for American negotiators.

Hormuz Strait Closure — Explosions rocked the port city of Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and the coastal towns of Sirik and Minab along the southern Iranian coastline. Blasts also struck the southern city of Kargan, wounding at least two people. Air defence systems were activated across western Tehran, with sounds of detonations reported throughout the capital and the country’s south.

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning following the strikes, stating that Iran had taken too long to negotiate a deal and would "have to pay the price." Trump acknowledged that the two sides were close to reaching an agreement but accused Tehran of "stringing the US along" in talks. He was explicit that the military campaign was designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table, not solely a response to the downing of a US AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz overnight Monday — an incident he had blamed on Iran on Tuesday, though no American service members were reported hurt.

Iran’s response was swift and consequential. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships, accusing Washington of repeated violations of an April 8 ceasefire agreement. The IRGC’s Navy said it had targeted two "offending vessels" attempting to navigate the strait in defiance of the closure order. The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply, and any sustained blockade would send shockwaves through global energy markets.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pushed back against Trump’s threats in a post on X, calling warnings to target critical infrastructure "a sign of desperation" and vowing that Iran would stand firm against pressure. The IRGC also rejected US claims that American forces had been facilitating the passage of ships through the strait.

The US Embassy in Baghdad issued an urgent safety advisory to American citizens in the region, urging them to maintain a high level of vigilance and monitor local news developments closely.

Hormuz Strait Closure: Regional Implications

The escalation represents a dramatic intensification of a conflict that began on February 28, when the Trump administration joined Israel in launching attacks against Iran. A temporary ceasefire was brokered on April 8, but hostilities resumed following the Apache helicopter incident. Wednesday’s strikes marked the second consecutive day of CENTCOM operations inside Iranian territory.

The violence was not confined to Iran. Israel continued its bombardment of Lebanon, with strikes reported across the south and the Bekaa Valley region. An Israeli strike on a vehicle in the southern city of Sidon killed two people and ignited a fire that spread to nearby cars. The cumulative death toll from Israeli bombardments of Lebanon since March has reached 3,696. The strikes continued despite a US-announced ceasefire for Lebanon declared on April 16.

The confluence of events — US strikes on Iranian soil, the closure of the world’s most strategically sensitive oil chokepoint, and ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon — marks one of the most volatile moments in the Middle East in years. With Trump signalling that further strikes are imminent and Tehran showing no sign of capitulation, the prospect of a negotiated resolution appears increasingly distant even as both sides acknowledge that diplomatic channels remain nominally open.