The United States has carried out new military strikes on southern Iran, targeting missile installations and boats allegedly attempting to deploy naval mines near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command.
US officials said the operation was conducted in “self-defense” to protect American forces and maintain freedom of navigation during an ongoing but fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The strikes reportedly focused on areas near Bandar Abbas, home to a major Iranian naval base overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said the US military “continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Iran had not officially responded to the latest attacks at the time of reporting. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai said negotiations with the US had made progress, though “a deal is not imminent.”
The latest escalation comes as diplomatic talks continue over a proposed framework that could extend the ceasefire for 60 days, reopen the Strait of Hormuz fully to global shipping, and pave the way for broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Speaking during a visit to India, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions between Iranian and Qatari officials were ongoing and that President Donald Trump remained committed to securing an agreement.
“We’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio told reporters, adding that negotiations were currently focused on the wording of an initial framework document.
Rubio also stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, calling any disruption to international shipping “unlawful” and “unsustainable for the world.”
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, has remained a major flashpoint since conflict erupted on 28 February following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran later retaliated against Israel and Gulf states aligned with Washington and effectively restricted shipping through the waterway, causing sharp increases in global oil prices.
US media reports suggest the ongoing negotiations will not immediately resolve major disputes, including sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and Washington’s demands for limits on Iran’s nuclear activities.
According to US estimates, Iran possessed approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity before the conflict — a level close to weapons-grade enrichment if further processed.
President Trump said earlier this week that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile would either be handed over to the United States or destroyed under international supervision.
Meanwhile, intelligence reports cited by US media indicate that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in an undisclosed location after reportedly being injured in an earlier Israeli strike, complicating communication with Iranian negotiators and slowing diplomatic progress.
