US targets Iran during 5-hour mission ahead of blockade reinstatement
U.S. Central Command said American forces in the Middle East carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Monday, targeting “Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities.” The strikes come ahead of CENTCOM reinstating a naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
CENTCOM announces new wave of attacks to 'degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping'
U.S. Central Command said the military carried out a new wave of strikes against Iran on Monday, aiming to "further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping."
"During the five-hour mission, U.S. forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping," CENTCOM said on X.
"CENTCOM forces employed precision munitions against Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities," the post added.
More than 50,000 U.S. service members remain deployed across the Middle East, as the military says American forces remain "vigilant, lethal, and ready."
Bahrain says its military has intercepted and destroyed ‘treacherous Iranian aerial aggressions’
The Bahrain Defence Force said Tuesday that its air defense systems “intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial aggressions” this morning.
“The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announces that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its sinful aggressions targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” it said in a statement posted on X.
“The General Command emphasizes that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement added.
The reported attacks come after U.S. Central Command said American forces struck Iranian targets “to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping.”
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters is located in Bahrain.
Qatar says Iranian attack on UAE tankers is ‘unacceptable’ and a ‘dangerous escalation’
Qatar’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that an Iranian attack against two oil tankers from the United Arab Emirates that were crossing the Strait of Hormuz is “unacceptable” and a “dangerous escalation.”
“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack targeting two UAE oil tankers as they transited the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a serious violation of the safety of international navigation, a direct threat to global energy supplies, and a clear breach of international law,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that the continuation of such unacceptable attacks represents a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability and undermines efforts to promote regional peace and stability,” it also said.
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense on Monday said the two national tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.
In a series of posts on X, the ministry added that the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah tankers were hit in the attack, killing one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injuring eight others, including four seriously.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this post.
UAE says Iranian missile attacks on tankers kills crew member, injures 8 in Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense on Monday said two national tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.
In a series of posts on X, the ministry said the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah tankers were hit in the attack, killing one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injuring eight others, including four seriously.
The injured include six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals, according to the ministry.
The attack also caused material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. Officials said the fires have since been brought under control.
The Ministry of Defense condemned the incident as a “blatant attack” and "a serious violation and a clear breach of international law that threatens the security and stability of the region."
"The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protects its national interests," the ministry said.
Trump defends US strikes on Iran, says another ‘major attack’ is coming
President Donald Trump on Monday defended U.S. strikes on Iran, saying Tehran’s military capabilities have been badly weakened and warning that another “major attack” is coming tonight.
"We were in Vietnam for 19 years. We're here for four months, so I think we've done a lot," Trump told reporters when asked whether months of U.S. strikes on Iran have become the “new normal” for Americans.
Trump said U.S. forces have “knocked out” Iran’s navy, air force, missile capabilities and drone manufacturing. He argued the strikes were necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"If we didn't do it, they would have had a nuclear weapon. If they had a nuclear weapon, Israel would no longer be with us. The Middle East probably would no longer be with us," Trump added.
The president also said the U.S. should be reimbursed for “protecting” the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping route at the center of escalating tensions in the region.
"I want to be reimbursed because we're protecting a very rich portion of the world," he said.
Trump accused Iran of dragging out negotiations for decades and said his administration has taken a tougher approach than previous presidents.
"This is what they've done for 47 years," Trump said. "The difference is nobody negotiated like I do. And this should have been done by Bush and Obama and Biden and people before them."
Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.
Live Coverage begins here