Ceasefire Near Collapse as US Launches Second Night of Strikes on Iran

The United States has launched fresh military strikes against Iran for the second consecutive night, following a direct order from President Donald Trump. The operation marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict and signals the near-total collapse of the two-month-old ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

According to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) , the latest strikes began at 5:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday and targeted multiple locations inside Iran. The military action concluded less than two hours later.

“U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM said in a public statement. “The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

The second wave of US strikes focused on disabling Iranian military infrastructure, including military surveillance facilities, communication systems, air defense sites, radar installations, ground control stations, and drone command-and-control units. Precision munitions, including 49 Tomahawk missiles, were fired by US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps assets.

Iranian state media reported explosions in multiple southern cities, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Minab, Kangan, and Tehran. Residents in the capital heard air defense sirens, while two water reservoirs in Sirik were reportedly struck, leaving an estimated 20,000 residents without clean drinking water amid scorching summer temperatures.

Hours before the strikes began, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, and delivered a stark warning. “Central Command will be busy tonight because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard, and we will be,” Hegseth told reporters.

He added, in remarks that quickly went viral: “As President Trump said, they’ve been tap, tap, tapping. Instead, they’re going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America.” Hegseth made clear that the Pentagon is prepared to escalate further unless Iran agrees to a US-backed nuclear and security deal. “If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs,” he said.

Iran has not remained passive. Following the second night of US strikes, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched its own retaliatory attacks against US assets in the region. Key Iranian counterstrikes include 12 ballistic missiles fired at the Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan, drone and missile attacks on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, and a claimed interception of a US F-16 fighter jet over the Persian Gulf, though this remains unconfirmed.

Bahrain’s interior ministry confirmed that air raid sirens sounded in Manama and Hamad Town, with falling shrapnel damaging homes and vehicles. An 11-year-old girl sustained minor injuries. Jordan’s armed forces reported shooting down five Iranian missiles, with no casualties. Kuwait’s army said its air defenses were actively engaging hostile aerial targets.

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In the most serious escalation yet, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters declared the Strait of Hormuz “fully closed” effective immediately. Iranian military officials warned that “any movement will be targeted,” including oil tankers and commercial vessels. The strait is a critical chokepoint through which approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil passes. However, CENTCOM disputed Iran’s claim, stating that “commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight.”

President Trump, speaking to Fox News following the strikes, doubled down on his强硬 stance. “We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them hard again today,” Trump said. “The Iranians asked me to stop the bombings. We will stop soon — but we’ll turn them to dust if they don’t agree with us tomorrow.” Trump accused Iranian negotiators of “playing us for suckers” and dragging out peace talks. He reiterated that any final deal must prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon — a goal Iran denies pursuing.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking just before the latest US strikes, vowed that Tehran would not bend. “Vital infrastructure is the lifeline of the people. Threatening to target them — from transportation networks to electricity and water industries — is not a display of power but a sign of desperation,” Pezeshkian wrote on X. He added: “Iran will stand firm against any pressure or threat.”

The April ceasefire — which had temporarily halted a conflict that began in late February — is now effectively dead. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the Middle East is “being pulled deeper into crisis,” adding that “the ceasefire is more like a lesser-fire.”

Global markets are feeling the pressure. Oil prices rose nearly $3 to $94 per barrel following Trump’s escalation threats. The Strait of Hormuz disruptions threaten to choke one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supply.

Despite the military escalation, diplomatic efforts continue. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, and the White House reportedly sent a direct message through Qatari mediators, emphasizing that the strikes were retaliatory and not intended to start a full-scale war. Whether that message will be heard amid the sound of explosions remains uncertain.

Ceasefire Near Collapse as US Launches Second Night of Strikes on Iran