WASHINGTON — The US military conducted a second consecutive day of strikes on Iranian territory Thursday, with explosions confirmed in the strategic port city of Bandar Abbas, the coastal town of Sirik, and the Bushehr province where Iran's nuclear power complex is located. US Central Command verified the operations.
The strikes follow an attack on three cargo ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, marking the most substantial exchange of fire since an interim ceasefire was established last month. Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump characterized Tehran's actions as unacceptable. "They are behaving very badly," Trump said, citing Iranian-launched drones and missiles targeting commercial vessels. He stated the current military action would not evolve into "long-term" engagement, adding, "Anything that happens is going to happen very fast."
Economic Fallout Hits American Consumers
Brent crude prices surged over 5% to exceed $80 per barrel immediately following the escalation. US equity markets retreated Wednesday as investors priced in prolonged instability. The International Monetary Fund revised its global growth forecast downward to 3%, explicitly blaming Middle Eastern conflict for the contraction, a development that analysts warn will translate to higher gasoline and home heating costs for American workers.
"Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has essentially stopped," said Jorge León, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy. "That tells you more about risk perception right now than any statement from Washington or Tehran." The effective closure of this critical chokepoint, through which a fifth of global oil supply passes, threatens immediate supply chain disruptions that domestic producers are not positioned to offset fully despite record US output.
The president formally declared the interim ceasefire arrangement terminated. No named diplomatic sources have confirmed backchannel communications between Washington and Tehran, and the State Department has issued no guidance on consular services for Americans in the region at this time.