US widens Iran strikes as talks falter

US forces struck military targets across Iran overnight, widening an air campaign that has pushed Washington and Tehran closer to open conflict as President Donald Trump warned that further attacks would follow unless a peace deal is secured.

Central Command said the operation was completed about four hours after it began, shortly after midnight in Tehran, with strikes aimed at military surveillance assets, communication systems and air defence sites. The command described the action as a response to Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression” and said Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy assets used precision munitions against targets that posed threats to US forces and commercial shipping in regional waters.

The latest wave marks a sharp escalation in a confrontation already centred on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a large share of the world’s seaborne oil trade. Washington has linked its military action to threats against shipping, attacks on regional facilities and the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter near the waterway. Tehran has denied that it is the source of the wider crisis, accusing Washington of violating its sovereignty and warning that US bases in the region could face retaliation.

Trump, speaking before the overnight strikes, said Iran had delayed negotiations and would face heavier bombardment if it failed to agree to a settlement. His remarks signalled that the White House is combining military pressure with demands for a diplomatic breakthrough, a strategy that has drawn support from hawks in Washington and concern from allies fearful of a broader Gulf conflict.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had said earlier that Central Command would be “busy” and that key Iranian facilities would be hit. The timing gave Tehran some warning but did little to reduce the risks of miscalculation. Iran’s military said it retained the capacity to respond and later claimed attacks on US-linked positions in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, while US officials said air defences intercepted incoming missiles and there were no immediate confirmed reports of major damage at American facilities.

The strikes have placed Gulf states under heightened security pressure. Bahrain hosts the US Fifth Fleet, Kuwait is a long-standing logistics hub for US forces, and Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have all played roles in managing previous rounds of US-Iran tension. Air defence systems across parts of the Gulf were put on alert as shipping companies reviewed exposure to the Strait of Hormuz and energy markets weighed the risk of sustained disruption.

Oil prices have remained sensitive to the crisis, with traders focused on whether Iran could obstruct tanker traffic or whether US naval protection would keep the route open. Washington has said the strait remains open, but Tehran’s threats have added a war-risk premium to shipping and insurance costs. Any prolonged disruption would place fresh pressure on importing economies and complicate efforts by central banks to manage inflation.

The military action also raises questions over the legal and political limits of the president’s authority. The White House has framed the strikes as self-defence against threats to US personnel and international commerce. Critics in Congress are expected to press for fuller briefings on the scope of the campaign, the targets selected and whether the administration intends to seek explicit authorisation if operations continue.

Iran’s nuclear programme remains central to the confrontation. Washington wants verifiable limits on enrichment activity, tighter inspection arrangements and guarantees that Tehran will not move towards weaponisation. Iran insists its programme is for civilian purposes and has demanded sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and security guarantees before accepting any broader settlement. The gap between the two positions has widened as military action has intensified.

Mediation efforts continue through regional channels, with Qatar and Oman seen as the most likely intermediaries capable of carrying messages between the two sides. Previous US-Iran understandings have often depended on indirect contacts, but the present atmosphere is more volatile because of active strikes, retaliatory threats and pressure on regional bases.