The United States launched new strikes on Iran on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump vowed to hit “hard” following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump, while ordering retaliation against Tehran, said he expected the latest military flare-up to end quickly and left the door open to more talks.US Central Command said the strikes were carried out to degrade the ability of Iranian forces “to threaten freedom of navigation” in the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally flows.“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping,” CENTCOM said on social media.Iran’s Mehr news agency said explosions had been heard in the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak and Chabahar.01:25US strikes over 80 Iranian targets, after attacks on ships in Strait of HormuzBefore ordering the latest strikes, Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over, prompting mediators Pakistan and Qatar and the United Nations to call for de-escalation.