The U.S. military is conducting strikes on Iranian targets in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The attacks are part of a plan President Trump and his senior aides have been considering in recent days to wage limited strikes in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from rebuilding the radar and missile capabilities it needs to attack ships. The plan was reported by Axios on Monday.
- One U.S. official said the idea is to reduce the risk of Iranian attacks on oil tankers, U.S. Navy ships and Air Force aircraft — to "mow the lawn," as this person put it.
State of play: According to Iranian media, the strikes hit targets along Iran's southern coast in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Jask, Chabahar, Konarak, Minab, Sirik and the island of Qeshm.
What they're saying: "Today at 12 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran. The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region," CENTCOM said.
- Trump threatened a more severe response if Iran tries to hit back.
- "If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack," he wrote on Truth Social shortly after news of the strikes, "they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!"