US Central Command announced at dawn on Thursday (June 11th) the start of a new round of airstrikes on several targets in Iran overnight, and President Donald Trump vowed to launch more new attacks if a peace deal is not reached.
"These strikes come in response to Iran's unprovoked and ongoing aggression," the Central Command said in a statement on the X website, adding that the strikes began just after midnight Tehran time.
Meanwhile, the military headquarters of the Seal of the Prophets has vowed to target any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed for months. Iranian media reported that two ships came under fire.
In a later post, U.S. Central Command denied that the strait was closed, saying commercial ships were still crossing it despite Iranian threats, and Trump had said earlier on Wednesday that ships were crossing the strait without Iran's permission as part of a secret military mission.
Trump reveals secret mission
Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that ships carrying 100 million barrels of oil defied Iran and crossed the strait as part of a covert U.S. military mission.
Hegseth said the ships were crossing the strait "in the middle of the night, amid U.S. protection in a way that Iran can't stop, can't see."
Separately, the U.S. military said it had blocked an oil tanker carrying Iranian crude in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday for the second day in a row.
Trump: Strikes will stop soon
Trump told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst on Wednesday evening that the strikes would stop soon, but that he would "bomb them hard" if Iran's leaders did not sign a deal with the United States immediately, the reporter wrote on X.
Iranian news agencies reported explosions in several cities in the south of the country, including Serik, Kanjan, Bandar Abbas and Minab.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Higgseth justified the move as an attempt to force Iran to strike a deal to end the conflict, telling reporters during a visit to Florida Central Command that the strikes would "strengthen our military interests and strengthen our diplomatic position."
"We will deal them a heavy blow tonight, and we hope that Iran will make the right decision," he said. If we have to negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs."
The U.S. military targeted air defenses and radar sites in the Strait of Hormuz after a U.S. attack helicopter was shot down near the strategic waterway on Monday, and Iran responded by launching missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. A U.S. official said there were no major damages.