Donald Trump has formally informed Congress of a new “defensive” bombing campaign as the conflict escalates once more
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched missile and drone attacks on multiple US military facilities in the Middle East after American forces conducted another wave of airstrikes against the Islamic Republic.
The escalation comes as the two sides vie for control over the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for some 20% of global crude oil trade.
Iranian military spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia has insisted that the key waterway “will never be reopened through... American acts of hostility,” The country’s forces will stand firm “until their last breath,” protecting Tehran’s rights in the strait, he said.
Earlier in the day, US Central Command announced that it was carrying out “the third consecutive night of strikes,” with heavy blasts reported across many regions of Iran.
In retaliation, the IRGC carried out strikes against several US military facilities in the region, including “weapons storage depots, a satellite communications center,” and the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
The US president formally notified Congress of his intention to renew “defensive” strikes against Iran, according to a letter dated Friday and obtained by the New York Times, Politico, and other outlets. The White House argued that the move gives the administration a fresh 60-day timeline before it must seek congressional approval.
Trump also claimed that Washington is “taking over” the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy supply bottleneck, and would charge vessels “20% on all cargo shipped” in exchange for protection. Washington would also reinstate its blockade of Iranian ports and bar passage to vessels belonging to Iran or its customers, he added.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that his US counterpart was suggesting “piracy.”
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