US President Donald Trump arrived on an official visit to the UK and categorically announced that the new massive US air strikes against Iran are direct retaliation for the attacks on international shipping.
The situation in the Middle East remains critical after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched another punitive operation against the Islamic Republic, BTA reports.
Trump's warning: “It will get even worse“
Immediately after landing on British soil, Donald Trump used his social network Truth Social to comment on the midnight military action. The president accompanied his message with a photo of the bombing and issued a direct threat to the authorities in Tehran:
„This is retaliation for yesterday's shelling of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will be even worse!“
His words were also confirmed to the media accompanying him, with the head of state emphasizing that the United States will not tolerate any attempts to block or threaten the trade routes in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf.
The new wave of strikes and the situation on the ground
The US military officially confirmed the start of the new series of air and missile strikes. Multiple strategic targets along the Iranian coast have been hit, with Tehran already reporting serious material damage and disruptions to critical infrastructure.
Explosions along the coast: According to Iranian state television and the official IRNA news agency, loud explosions were heard on the island of Abu Musa, as well as in the area of the port city of Chabahar. Infrastructure damaged: Power supply has been completely cut off in some parts of Chabahar. Indirect damage: Iranian media reported that shrapnel from US shells hit the “Imam Ali“ hospital in the city of Chabahar.
The US military operation began just hours after Trump announced an end to the temporary lull provoked by the latest Iranian provocations against commercial and military vessels in the region.
Diplomatic shuttles in an attempt to de-escalate
While bombs were falling on Iranian positions, urgent talks began in the diplomatic sphere to prevent a full-scale regional war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held an urgent phone call with the prime minister of Qatar — the country that traditionally acts as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran. According to information from Agence France-Presse, the two countries issued a joint call for an urgent reduction in tensions, defining the current escalation as extremely dangerous for the stability of the entire Middle East.