The United States has conducted new strikes targeting Iranian radar systems and military assets along a 300-mile stretch of the country's coast, President Donald Trump announced, releasing footage of the bombardment. Trump also issued a direct appeal to Iranian citizens, urging them to "rise up and fight" against the ruling regime.
The strikes, which reportedly hit targets on Qeshm Island and in the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, come amid escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. military stated it does not target civilians, denying Iranian state media reports that strikes killed civilians at a wedding.
Trump asserted on social media that Iran's economy was "totally collapsing" and that the U.S. held "almost total control of the Hormuz Strait." He dismissed reports of attempts to force Iran to a bargaining table, stating, "I couldn’t care less if they sign a worthless, to them, agreement."
These actions follow Iran's recent strikes on two U.S.-backed commercial oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. For months, Iran has disrupted shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil transport, using drones and sea mines.
In response to Iranian actions, the U.S. has deployed approximately 50,000 troops to the region to enforce a naval blockade. The conflict, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the Trump administration, has been ongoing for over six months and has resulted in the deaths of 18 U.S. service members.
A 14-point ceasefire agreement, mediated by Pakistan in June, was intended to lead to negotiations to end the hostilities but broke down within weeks. The deal expired on August 17 without a replacement, and currently, no talks are underway. President Trump has stated he will not extend the ceasefire.
The White House demands that Iran surrender its enriched uranium stockpile and dismantle its nuclear program. Iran, however, insists on the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and the restoration of its control over the Strait of Hormuz as conditions for concessions.
Following the U.S. strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile strike on Camp Titin, a U.S. Marine base in Jordan. Jordanian forces reported confronting 13 ballistic missiles, intercepting ten while three landed in remote areas. The extent of any damage or casualties from these retaliatory strikes remains unclear.
The ongoing conflict has impacted U.S. domestic conditions, with public approval for the war at 31 percent amid rising fuel costs. Brent crude traded around $94 a barrel, and the average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. reached $4.12.