US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Trump says deal remains 'possible'

US president Donald Trump: US has launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran, completing a five-hour tactical mission that targeted critical military installations. (Photo/Reuters)

The United States has launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran, completing a five-hour tactical mission that targeted critical military installations along the country's southern coastline.

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed the latest wave of strikes against Iran at 10:15 p.m. ET on July 13," the command said in a formal statement.

During the extensive operation, US forces employed precision-guided munitions to strike maritime capabilities, coastal defence systems, and missile and drone sites across key sectors including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas, CENTCOM added.

This marked the third consecutive night of attacks ordered by US President Donald Trump, who declared that American forces are destroying Iran's military assets related to the Strait of Hormuz.

"We're attacking them tonight, and we're taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the Strait of Hormuz," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Despite the escalation, Trump said a diplomatic deal with Tehran was still possible.

"Yeah, I think a deal is possible. Sure, I do," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"We had a deal with them two days ago and then they said, 'Oh we can't make that deal. We have to negotiate it further.'"

The White House confirmed to AFP that Trump formally notified Congress last week that the US had resumed military conflict against Iran, giving the Pentagon an additional 60 days to operate in the region without immediate congressional approval.

In response to the US attacks, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said that they had carried out missile and drone strikes on Bahrain, after the Gulf country urged citizens to take shelter as a siren sounded.

"Several weapons support warehouses, a satellite communications center and the residential building for US forces in Bahrain were targeted," Iranian state television IRIB quoted the Guards as saying.

Strait of Hormuz

CENTCOM also announced plans to reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports beginning at 2000 GMT on Tuesday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United States would be known as "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and impose a 20 percent fee on cargo transiting the strategic waterway, while saying all countries except Iran would continue to enjoy free passage.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X, saying that while safe passage should be compensated, "20% is of course too much."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the June memorandum of understanding that underpinned negotiations was "in crisis", but added that Tehran continued talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman to prevent further escalation.

Iranian state media reported deaths in the latest US strikes, while the Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted US military sites in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.

Source: TRT