Tehran:Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated further after Tehran warned Washington of retaliation over the latest round of . The warning came shortly after the US carried out fresh attacks on Iranian targets, saying the operation was aimed at reducing Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in response to the strikes that the United States should not think that there will be no response to military pressure and broken commitments. America still has to learn that bullying and breaking promises no longer comes without a cost. “I will say it frankly, if you strike, you will be hit,” Ghalibaf said.
He added that Iran will remain a dominant factor in developments in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes. "Don't thrash around for nothing, or you'll go down more. He said: “The Strait of Hormuz will open only with Iranian arrangements, not with American threats.”
New US strikes following attacks on commercial shippingThe latest exchange follows US President Donald Trump ordering another round of military strikes against Iran. Washington said the move was in response to what it called Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation and said US forces had carried out further strikes to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the region. The US military also accused Tehran of “recent unjustified aggression” against commercial ships and civilian crews operating in the vital international waterway.
Trump took to Truth Social to defend the strikes and warned Tehran against further escalation. 'This is revenge for Iran's bombing of ships yesterday. It’s happening again, it’s going to get much worse!” he added.
Trump claims Iran wants a dealTrump said Iran had approached Washington for talks, as military tensions continued to rise after a series of US strikes. "They called a little while ago, they want to make a deal so badly," Trump told reporters on Air Force One, returning from the NATO summit in Ankara. “I just don’t know if they’re worth the bother. The US President also said that Washington is not convinced by Tehran’s intentions despite its reported willingness to negotiate.
Trump declares ceasefire overEarlier Trump said the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was effectively over after the latest confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz. The US President told Iran had attacked a number of commercial vessels in the waterway, prompting a US military response. Trump, repeating his administration’s stance, said any future attacks would be met with a much stronger response. "Every time they hit us we hit them 20," he said.
Earlier US operation targeted over 80 sitesThe latest strikes are part of a wider military campaign launched by the United States this week. CENTCOM conducted a large-scale strike on July 7 against more than 80 targets in Iran with precision-guided munitions.
The US military said the operation targeted Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control facilities, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile infrastructure and more than 60 small boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in and around the Strait of Hormuz.Washington said the strikes were designed to degrade Iran's operational capability and deter further attacks on international shipping.
Why the Strait of Hormuz still matters to the worldThe Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important maritime chokepoints in the world, with a significant portion of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas transiting through it each day. The waterway is closely watched by governments and financial markets around the globe, with any military escalation in the region raising concerns over global energy supplies, shipping security and international trade.