The U.S. military struck over 80 Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after Iran launched three separate attacks on commercial vessels, while the Treasury Department simultaneously revoked oil sanctions waivers that had allowed Tehran to export crude. The dual response marks a sharp escalation in tensions following Iran's violation of last month's memorandum of understanding aimed at restoring safe passage through the critical waterway.
U.S. Central Command said American forces "completed a new round of offensive strikes against Iran" using precision munitions "as an immediate response to Iran's latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz." The strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 small boats belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in and near the strait. A U.S. official confirmed the targets also included coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missile sites, drone launch sites and port facilities.
Scope and Scale
The Tuesday strikes were four or five times bigger in scope and power than previous strikes in Hormuz 10 days earlier. Iranian state media reported explosions in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, as well as on Qeshm Island. The Iranian military responded by launching drones at Bahrain, according to a U.S. official. Iran's military vowed to deliver a "crushing response" to the American strikes.
CENTCOM said the strikes were designed "to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor." The command emphasized in an earlier statement that the "powerful strikes" aimed at imposing "heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway." It characterized Iran's aggression as "unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire."
Economic Pressure Mounts
Shortly before the military retaliation, the Treasury Department announced it was revoking sanctions waivers that had allowed Iran to sell oil. The move restores economic pressure on Tehran's primary revenue source. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the decision, claiming the U.S. had breached the terms of the memorandum of understanding. Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the U.S. of major violations of the MOU. "The era of bullying and extortion is over," Ghalibaf wrote on X. "It leads nowhere. We don't fold."
President Trump approved the strike plan and ordered it while in Turkey for this week's NATO summit. Trump held a meeting in Ankara with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who flew with him on Air Force One. They were joined by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and other officials already on the ground for the summit.
Diplomatic Path Unclear
A U.S. official said, "This response is a direct result of the acts of international terrorism that have been perpetrated by Iran on innocent ships transiting the Straight of Hormuz. The Iranians know the consequences to their ridiculous actions, yet they still chose to carry out these attacks." Trump said Wednesday morning that he believes the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran "is over." Speaking at the start of the NATO summit, Trump called the country "dirty players" for targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, violating a ceasefire. Trump said he'll let his negotiators "keep talking if they want," but added that the U.S. was wasting time talking with Iran and voiced a desire to "do our business" instead of trying to pursue diplomacy.
CENTCOM said Hegseth would travel from Turkey to Israel on Wednesday for his first trip as defense secretary. He's expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Iran and the talks Trump had with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Why This Matters:
The Strait of Hormuz remains the world's most critical oil chokepoint, with roughly one-fifth of global petroleum passing through the narrow waterway. Iran's attacks on commercial shipping directly threaten international commerce and energy markets, risking supply disruptions that would drive up costs for American consumers and businesses. The restoration of oil sanctions removes Tehran's economic lifeline, applying the kind of market pressure that proved effective in bringing Iran to negotiations previously. The collapse of last month's memorandum demonstrates the limits of diplomatic engagement with a regime that continues attacking civilian vessels despite agreements. Trump's willingness to authorize substantial military action while simultaneously tightening economic sanctions reflects a return to maximum pressure strategy that prioritizes American interests and the security of international trade routes over endless negotiations.