US targets Iran during 5-hour mission ahead of blockade reinstatement
U.S. Central Command said American forces in the Middle East carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Monday, targeting “Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities.” The strikes come ahead of CENTCOM reinstating a naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
China urges 'normal and safe passage' in Strait of Hormuz as US reinstates blockade on Iranian ports
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson demanded "normal and safe passage" be restored in the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday before the United States reinstated a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
Lin Jian made the remark when asked by Iranian state media about the renewed U.S. military blockade and if Beijing is “prepared to take any concrete steps to mitigate the impact of these measures against Iran and deepen its economic and military cooperation with Iran." President Donald Trump said Monday he was reinstating the blockade because Iran broke the recent ceasefire deal by launching missile attacks on commercial tankers and by trying to shut down the Strait of Hormuz.
“China is deeply concerned over resumed military conflict in the Gulf region. China calls on relevant parties to heed the strong call for peace and stability from the region and beyond, remain calm and exercise restraint, safeguard the hard-won ceasefire, avoid the return of war and more importantly, prevent the fighting from spreading and hurting more innocent people,” Lin Jian said Tuesday.
“Respect for the lawful rights and interest of the coastal countries of the Strait of Hormuz and an early resumption of normal and safe passage at the Strait is what the international community want to see. Relevant parties need to work in the same direction and seek a proper settlement,” he added.
Netanyahu warns Iran: 'Don't count on there being silence if you attack us'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he has a message for Iran's leaders -- "Don't count on there being silence if you attack us."
"Don't count on a replay; it will be a different broadcast — one far more powerful," Netanyahu added in a post on X following reported Iranian attacks on countries in the Middle East.
Netanyahu also said Tuesday that "We are prepared for every scenario,” according to The Times of Israel.
“The days when someone can attack us without paying a heavy price are over,” Netanyahu reportedly added. “We proved that in confronting Iran’s axis of evil, and we will continue to act decisively against anyone who harms us. That is how we have acted, and that is how we will continue to act.”
Israel launched its Operation Roaring Lion military campaign against Iran in late February and has been fending off aggression from the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon in recent weeks.
Chemical tanker catches fire following ‘explosion’ in Arabian Sea, Norwegian shipping company says
The Norwegian shipping company Stolt-Nielsen said its chemical tanker Stolt Magnesium caught fire Tuesday after an “explosion of an unidentified external device" while it was traveling in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman, according to Reuters.
The incident unfolded around 12:40 a.m. local time Tuesday morning and sparked a fire in the ship’s engine room, Reuters added.
All of the personnel on the ship reportedly are safe and accounted for.
The incident follows reported Iranian attacks against two oil tankers from the United Arab Emirates that were traveling in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM releases video of planes taking off from aircraft carrier as blockade is just hours away
U.S. Central Command released a video Tuesday showing flight operations on board the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier, hours ahead of a resumption of a blockade on Iranian ports.
The USS George H.W. Bush, which has more than 60 aircraft on board, helped enforce the original naval blockade against Iran, according to CENTCOM.
The first blockade started on April 13 and ended on June 18.
“CENTCOM forces redirected more than 140 compliant vessels, disabled nine non-compliant ships, and allowed over 50 commercial vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass through the blockade during the two-month period,” it said on X.
CENTCOM added that at President Donald Trump’s direction, it will “resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports” later this afternoon, beginning at 4 p.m. ET.
Bahrain says its military has intercepted and destroyed ‘treacherous Iranian aerial aggressions’
The Bahrain Defence Force said Tuesday that its air defense systems “intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial aggressions” this morning.
“The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force announces that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its sinful aggressions targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” it said in a statement posted on X.
“The General Command emphasizes that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement added.
The reported attacks come after U.S. Central Command said American forces struck Iranian targets “to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping.”
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters is located in Bahrain.
Qatar says Iranian attack on UAE tankers is ‘unacceptable’ and a ‘dangerous escalation’
Qatar’s foreign ministry said Tuesday that an Iranian attack against two oil tankers from the United Arab Emirates that were crossing the Strait of Hormuz is “unacceptable” and a “dangerous escalation.”
“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack targeting two UAE oil tankers as they transited the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a serious violation of the safety of international navigation, a direct threat to global energy supplies, and a clear breach of international law,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that the continuation of such unacceptable attacks represents a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and stability and undermines efforts to promote regional peace and stability,” it also said.
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense on Monday said the two national tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.
In a series of posts on X, the ministry added that the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah tankers were hit in the attack, killing one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injuring eight others, including four seriously.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this post.
CENTCOM announces new wave of attacks to 'degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping'
U.S. Central Command said the military carried out a new wave of strikes against Iran on Monday, aiming to "further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping."
"During the five-hour mission, U.S. forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping," CENTCOM said on X.
"CENTCOM forces employed precision munitions against Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities," the post added.
More than 50,000 U.S. service members remain deployed across the Middle East, as the military says American forces remain "vigilant, lethal, and ready."
UAE says Iranian missile attacks on tankers kills crew member, injures 8 in Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense on Monday said two national tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters.
In a series of posts on X, the ministry said the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah tankers were hit in the attack, killing one Indian crew member aboard the Mombasa and injuring eight others, including four seriously.
The injured include six Indian nationals and two Ukrainian nationals, according to the ministry.
The attack also caused material damage to both tankers after fires broke out on board. Officials said the fires have since been brought under control.
The Ministry of Defense condemned the incident as a “blatant attack” and "a serious violation and a clear breach of international law that threatens the security and stability of the region."
"The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents, in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protects its national interests," the ministry said.
Trump defends US strikes on Iran, says another ‘major attack’ is coming
President Donald Trump on Monday defended U.S. strikes on Iran, saying Tehran’s military capabilities have been badly weakened and warning that another “major attack” is coming tonight.
"We were in Vietnam for 19 years. We're here for four months, so I think we've done a lot," Trump told reporters when asked whether months of U.S. strikes on Iran have become the “new normal” for Americans.
Trump said U.S. forces have “knocked out” Iran’s navy, air force, missile capabilities and drone manufacturing. He argued the strikes were necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"If we didn't do it, they would have had a nuclear weapon. If they had a nuclear weapon, Israel would no longer be with us. The Middle East probably would no longer be with us," Trump added.
The president also said the U.S. should be reimbursed for “protecting” the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping route at the center of escalating tensions in the region.
"I want to be reimbursed because we're protecting a very rich portion of the world," he said.
Trump accused Iran of dragging out negotiations for decades and said his administration has taken a tougher approach than previous presidents.
"This is what they've done for 47 years," Trump said. "The difference is nobody negotiated like I do. And this should have been done by Bush and Obama and Biden and people before them."
Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.
Live Coverage begins here