US launches ‘heavy wave’ of strikes on Iran after pause in attacks

The United States has launched a new wave of strikes against Iran that targeted its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in response to attacks on American military bases in the Middle East. The US struck dozens of Iranian targets “including military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime capabilities”, US Central Command said in a post on X on Wednesday night. “The strikes aimed to further diminish threats posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighbouring Gulf countries,” it added. While Centcom described the strikes as a “heavy wave”, there was no indication the latest operation had targeted key bridges or other civilian infrastructure that would signal a major expansion of the US military campaign. “We’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them,” US president Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday afternoon. “They know what’s coming. They’re asking us not to do it.” The US and Iran had paused an exchange of strikes at the end of last week in an effort to further diplomatic talks and bring an end to the months-long war. Yet that lull ended on Tuesday night when Iran carried out a surprise assault, firing multiple ballistic missiles at an American military base in Jordan. US officials said all of the incoming missiles were intercepted, but the attack sent oil prices soaring as markets feared a return to all-out war. The resumption of hostilities came just hours after Trump had claimed Washington and Tehran were making progress in discussions and that he preferred a deal with Iran rather than ordering more strikes. The president struck a fiery tone on Wednesday morning after Iran’s overnight attacks, telling a Fox News reporter in a phone interview that he intended to hit back “hard”. Instead of winding down, the Iran war appears to be expanding. The US and Saudi Arabia struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq on Tuesday after Riyadh said it had countered drones launched by Iraqi groups targeting its oil facilities. Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have also attacked vessels in the Red Sea. In Egypt, fires broke out aboard two liquefied natural gas vessels at the port of Damietta, in what appeared to be the first attack on that country’s territory since the war began. A security firm said the vessels had been struck by drones. Oil prices had eased during the brief lull but rose again earlier Wednesday after Trump’s threats. Crude was little changed after the US said it launched a fresh wave of strikes. Brent traded near $90 a barrel after rallying almost 8 per cent in the previous session. Trump has repeatedly claimed the US and Iran were close to a deal even as Tehran has denied it was engaged in active talks with Washington. A prolonged conflict also poses political risks for Trump, whose Republican Party faces an uphill fight to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections. Those elections will largely hinge on the economy, with voters giving Trump poor marks on his handling of the issue. The war brought a sharp increase in fuel prices as shipping through the energy-crucial Strait of Hormuz was effectively blocked. The strait remains largely closed with few ships passing through. The US military said earlier on Wednesday that its forces continued to enforce a blockade against Iran. Qatar, meanwhile, has sent its first shipment of liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz since one of its tankers was attacked in the waterway more than three weeks ago.