US forces struck Iran and reimposed a naval blockade on its ports as Tehran hit Washington's Gulf allies on Wednesday, vowing the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed "until the US ends its aggression". "The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression," the Guards said in a statement on Wednesday.

The sustained escalation in fighting comes nearly a month after the two sides inked a draft peace deal that prolonged a ceasefire and began 60 days of negotiations.

Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region".