The US, early on Thursday, launched a second wave of attacks on Iran’s coastal defences and missile sites within a span of 24 hours after reimposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, and Tehran responded by again targeting US military sites in neighboring Gulf countries.
The latest escalation comes days after a fragile truce collapsed, raising the specter of a return to full-scale war, with Iran once again threatening to shut off more regional energy exports after blocking the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Military operations are also keeping ships from transiting the vital artery, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, closed at a one-month high of $84.95 a barrel on Wednesday.
US Central Command said the military had attacked coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Iran’s Greater Tunb Island starting around 6am EDT, then launched a second wave of strikes against multiple cities nine hours later.
