US Strikes Target in Iran for Second Time in Three Days
The US military has launched a new strike on Iran, targeting a military site in Bandar Abbas, a strategic port city. US Central Command (Centcom) said its forces also shot down four Iranian drones that ‘posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz’. Centcom stated the Bandar Abbas site was attacked while preparing to launch a fifth drone. Iranian media reported explosions in the eastern part of the city.
The strike occurred amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran and lengthy negotiations to end a three-month conflict that has disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and driven up global energy prices. This is the second US military strike on Iranian targets in three days. The US claims the actions were taken in self-defence. The latest escalation threatens the ceasefire’s continuation. Centcom described its actions as ‘measured, purely defensive, and intended to preserve the ceasefire’.
Earlier this week, Centcom confirmed a previous ‘self-defence’ strike in southern Iran on Monday, targeting Iranian missile sites and vessels suspected of attempting to lay mines in the strait, where thousands of commercial tankers are stranded due to the conflict. Centcom stated the strike was designed ‘to protect our forces from threats posed by Iranian forces’.
Iran condemned the strikes as a ‘serious violation of the ceasefire’ and vowed that the Iranian government ‘will not let any hostile action go unanswered.’ The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also said on Tuesday it had shot down a US drone and fired at a fighter jet and another drone that entered Iranian airspace, though it did not specify when the incidents occurred.
At Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, US President Donald Trump said Iran was ‘negotiating from a position of weakness’ and stated his war strategy would not be influenced by the November midterms. ‘Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe not,’ he said. During the same meeting, Trump urged Gulf states to join the Abraham Accords to normalise relations with Israel. Israel launched a war against Iran alongside the US on 28 February 2026, and is also engaged in conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump has threatened to continue large-scale bombing campaigns if Iran does not accept his demands.
Trump previously expressed optimism over the weekend, stating the peace deal with Iran was ‘mostly negotiated’. However, in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, he said the US was ‘not satisfied’. He claimed Tehran was ‘very intent’ on reaching an agreement to end the conflict but added ‘so far they have not reached that stage’, reiterating Washington’s readiness to resume strikes if no deal is reached.
The remarks came after Iranian state television reported what it called draft deal details, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and US troop withdrawal. The White House dismissed the document as ‘completely fabricated’.
Both sides had hinted at progress towards a deal last weekend, sparking speculation of an imminent announcement. However, Tehran quickly warned the agreement was ‘not imminent’, while Trump said he had instructed negotiators ‘not to rush’.
Speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, the US president said: ‘They just want to make a deal—I think they have no choice.’ Trump added: ‘Iran is very intent, they really want to reach an agreement. So far they have not reached that stage and we are not satisfied, but we will. If not, we may have to finish it.’