The United States conducted a sixth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, according to U.S. Central Command (Centcom), as the ongoing conflict for control of the Strait of Hormuz intensifies. Centcom announced on Thursday that the operations were designed to "further degrade Iranian military capabilities."
Iranian state media reported that U.S. missiles impacted areas near the Gulf island of Qeshm, close to the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr, the location of a nuclear power plant. These exchanges follow overnight strikes between the two nations, which have further strained a tentative agreement to end the war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Thursday that President Donald Trump remains amenable to diplomatic discussions with Iran. "The president will hold them accountable when they turn their back on the words that they state to the United States. But he is always open to diplomacy at the very same time," she told reporters.
Leavitt added that Iran has indicated a desire to reach a deal with the U.S., noting, "We're talking to them, but again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that." The Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route off Iran's coast that Tehran had effectively closed in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes, has remained shut amid escalating attacks.
Earlier on Thursday, Iran reported striking U.S. military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Conversely, the U.S. stated it had carried out a six-hour series of strikes targeting multiple locations within the strait. These actions occurred after President Trump warned Iran to "behave" or face further military action if it did not return to negotiations.
Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, told state media that Tehran had "no reason" to adhere to any agreement that did not serve the country's interests. He asserted that Iran's national security is dependent on maintaining what he termed "Iranian arrangements" within the Strait of Hormuz.