Trump says the attacks are "retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran". Iran earlier promised strong retaliation.

Trump said the new strikes were "retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran" in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane The US has launched a new round of strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump signalled he would "hit them hard again tonight" following an exchange of attacks on Tuesday. Explosions have been reported by Iranian state media in parts of the country's south, including Sirik and Bandar Abbas - port cities on the Strait of Hormuz. After the latest strikes, Trump said in a post on Truth Social: "This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!" Gulf nations reported Iranian attacks following the US strikes, with explosions in Bahrain's capital Manama, Kuwait intercepting missiles and drones, and Qatar issuing a security alert. Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the country's chief negotiator with the US, said on X that America "still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free". "Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you'll get hit," he wrote, adding that the Strait of Hormuz will only open under Iranian arrangements - not "American threats". US Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes were carried out to "further degrade Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation" in the vital waterway.