US Offensive in Iran Enters Fourth Phase, Hormuz Remains Blocked / Trump Signals Further Strikes

U.S. airstrikes against targets inside Iranian territory are continuing for the fourth consecutive day, as the climate of confrontation in the Middle East takes on increasingly alarming proportions.

Simultaneously with the air offensive, Washington has activated a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, significantly increasing pressure on the Tehran regime. The measure came into effect on Tuesday at 23:00 (Greek time) and is backed by a powerful deployment of U.S. Central Command, with nearly 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft. The stated aim is to deny Iran the ability to threaten or strike commercial vessels in one of the world’s most vital oil corridors.

Just before the blockade took effect, U.S. forces launched a new wave of bombardments that hit targets in Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, and Qeshm Island. Iranian officials claimed that one of these strikes targeted a water packaging plant.

Referring to the operation that lasted about seven hours, the U.S. military announced that dozens of military targets were struck, including missile depots, drone systems, naval infrastructure, and coastal defense positions. The operation aims to further weaken Iran’s ability to endanger freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf.

On the economic front, the U.S. Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions against individuals, commercial entities, and vessels with Iranian ties, also freezing cryptocurrency wallets with an estimated value of around $130 million.

President Donald Trump stated that the military campaign will not stop until Iran returns to the negotiating table. During an interview with Fox News, he hinted that the next round of strikes could include power plants and strategically important bridges.

On the other hand, Tehran insists that it launched ballistic missiles and sent drones at U.S. bases in Jordan and Kuwait, and that it also targeted positions in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iranian state television also reported clashes in the Strait of Hormuz itself between Iranian and American troops, claims that have not been verified by independent sources.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard warned that the Hormuz sea passage will remain closed as long as the U.S. continues its military operations. The statement also stressed that Tehran could block other strategic routes for energy exports, emphasizing that “either oil and gas exports will be open to everyone, or to no one.”

The rapid escalation of the clash has raised international concern over the security of global energy supplies and the risk that the conflict could spread throughout the Middle East region.