“We are going to hit hard tonight”: The United States launched a new wave of attacks against Iran

The US military command for the Middle East (Centcom) announced in a statement the start of “a third consecutive night of attacks against Iran”, shortly after midnight Tehran time.

“We’re going to hit them hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow,” Trump had previously declared to radio host Hugh Hewitt.

Four new explosions were heard near Abás Bandar, southern Iranian port city located on the Strait of Hormuz, the news agency reported Irna.

For its part, United Arab EmiratesWashington’s ally in the Gulf, reported this Tuesday (local time) that Iran attacked two of its oil tankers in Hormuzwhich caused the death of one crew member and left eight injured.

At 4:45 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief’s direction. These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026

On Monday, the Guardians of the Revolution, Iran’s ideological army, claimed to have reached US military targets and bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Before the press at the White House, Trump nevertheless considered in the evening that an agreement with Iran was still “possible.”

Before that, he had announced on his Truth Social platform that The United States would take control of Hormuz, a key route for the global transit of hydrocarbons, and that the blockade of Iranian ports will be reestablished.

That pressure measure will take effect on Tuesday, according to the US military.

Like Tehran, the American president said he wanted to collect “a remuneration equivalent to 20% of the value of the shipments” in Hormuz, even though that route is subject to international law that is supposed to guarantee freedom of navigation.

For his part, the Iranian foreign minister, Abás Araqchi, He joked about Trump’s toll threat. “Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait and will remain so forever,” he assured on the social network X.

“The president of the United States is absolutely right. Whoever guarantees safe passage should receive compensation,” he said, adding: “20% is, of course, too much. We will be fair.”

Given these exchanges, Crude oil prices soared on Monday: The barrel of Brent from the North Sea, an international reference, rose 9.59% and was quoted at $83.30.

After almost 40 days of bombing in the conflict triggered by the Israeli-American attacks on February 28, a ceasefire came into effect in early April and was ratified on June 17 through a protocol of agreement.

But since the new attacks in recent days against ships trying to cross Hormuz, Clashes have resumed with unprecedented intensity, prompting Trump to claim that the ceasefire is “over.”

Last week, the US president also sent an official notification to Congress indicating that the conflict with Iran had resumed, the White House confirmed to the AFP.

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baqaistated on Monday that the memorandum of understanding June that served as the basis for negotiations and lifted the US blockade was “in crisis.”

Baqai said Iran would ignore its obligations under the deal if the United States did the same, but added that Tehran continued to hold talks with mediators of Qatar, Pakistan and Oman to avoid further escalation.

Iranian state media reported deaths in the latest US strikes, which they said targeted large areas of the south and west of the country.

At least 25 people have been killed in Iran since hostilities resumed last Wednesday, according to an account of the AFP based on official Iranian announcements.