US carries out new attacks on Iran/ Tehran threatens to block more trade routes

2026-07-15 16:48:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated again, after the US military launched a new wave of attacks on Iranian military targets.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US stopped what it called "acts of aggression." Tehran also warned that it could block other regional oil and gas export routes.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced this morning that it carried out strikes with drones, aircraft and naval assets, after another seven-hour operation overnight. According to CENTCOM, a 90-minute wave of attacks hit Iran's coastal defenses, as well as storage facilities and launch sites for cruise missiles on the island of "Greater Tunb".

US officials said the operation was aimed at weakening Iran's ability to attack commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declared that, if Iran does not return to negotiations, the US will strike Iranian bridges and power plants next week.

"We'll leave the energy targets for last, but we'll hit them eventually," Trump said in an interview with Fox News.

The escalation of the conflict has increased concerns about the global economy, as tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has been significantly reduced, also causing oil prices to rise in international markets.

The US also reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports, barring ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas. This measure had been lifted last month as part of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries aimed at reducing tensions.

In response, the IRGC warned that the US should expect the closure of other oil and gas export routes that serve American interests and those of its allies, without providing details on which corridors were in question.

Separately, Iranian state media reported that the country's military had launched separate strikes on US targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. US allies said they had intercepted drones and missiles launched from Iran. /CNA