US-Iran war Highlights: ‘They better behave’ — Trump warns Iran, declines to set a deadline for ending US strikes

U.S. Central Command wrote on X: "At 3 p.m. ET, U.S. forces launched operations for a second wave of strikes today against Iran. The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway vital to global commerce. The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief's direction."

Mehr News Agency, a semi-official news agency sponsored by the government of Iran, reports explosions in Ahvaz, three explosions in Chabahar.

Speaking at a defense summit at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump suggested Tehran was seeking negotiations despite the escalating military campaign.

"They don't like what we're doing, and they do want to settle," Trump said.

"We'll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off."

Trump added that the United States was "doing really well with Iran" and said the Islamic Republic "is not happy right now."

Commercial shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the US military-guided transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.

The move follows a wave of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, raising fears over crew safety and vessel security.

Trump declines to set a deadline for Iran as the US continues military strikes.

Asked whether Iran had a deadline before the US would "start bombing bridges," Trump refused to specify a timeline.

"I don't like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know... They better behave," Trump told reporters.

Remarks came before Trump departed for the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

US officials cited by Reuters said recent strikes on Iran are aimed not only at reopening the Strait of Hormuz but also at degrading Iranian military capabilities.

The strikes are targeting military assets that the US would seek to neutralize before launching any broader or more complex military campaign against Iran.

Officials said the operations are designed to strengthen President Donald Trump's military options should he decide to escalate the conflict.

President Donald Trump is speaking at a defense summit at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, highlighting investments in battlefield technology and defense innovation.

The summit comes as the Iran war has significantly reduced US stockpiles of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot and THAAD missile interceptors.

The event includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and UN Ambassador Mike Waltz.

CEOs and executives from JPMorgan, Blackstone, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing, SpaceX, Palantir, and other major firms are participating.

"Since restarting the naval blockade against Iranian ports 17 hours ago, U.S. forces have redirected 2 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade. The U.S. military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance," US Central Command said in an X po

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran has no plans for negotiations with the US at present.

Baghaei said Tehran is focused on defending the country amid ongoing US military strikes.

Iran will continue to respond "firmly" to US attacks, he said.

Baghaei said Iran will not abide by any agreement if the United States "breaches its obligations."

"This is a principle, and we will continue to follow it," Baghaei said, stressing Iran's position on honoring agreements only if the other side does the same.

Baghaei made the comments to reporters outside a memorial in Tehran for the late son-in-law of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian outlet SNN.

Lebanon and Israel completed a new round of US-mediated negotiations in Rome, aimed at advancing last month's framework agreement.

Both sides agreed to implement two "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, with the structure and implementation guidelines expected to be finalized in the coming days.

A US official described the discussions as "productive and positive", saying the talks resulted in agreement on the framework for the pilot zone process.

The Rome negotiations follow five rounds of talks in Washington that led to a framework agreement signed last month.

Lebanese negotiators are seeking progress on the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, beginning with the pilot zones.

The framework aims to end the state of war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Brent crude rose 0.2% to $84.91 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 0.3% to $79.60.

Crude rose after the US began a new wave of strikes on Iranian military installations, targeting capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran issues fresh threat: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned it could close "all other export corridors" that benefit the US and its allies.

Markets remain focused on the risk of disruptions to global oil supplies.

Oil prices jumped 2% on Tuesday, settling at a one-month high as attacks intensified supply concerns.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned that no Middle East oil or gas exports would be allowed if Iran remains under blockade, saying, "The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one."

The threat comes after Washington reinstated a naval blockade on Iran and expanded its air campaign after accusing Tehran of attacking commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

American forces struck an Iranian army barracks and other military targets as part of the renewed offensive.

Iranian officials said the strikes killed at least seven military personnel and injured more than 260 people across the country. (AP)

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said renewed US strikes have killed at least 30 people since fighting resumed last week.

Separately, Iran's military said seven of its personnel were killed in Wednesday's strikes in the country's southeast.

The United States completed a round of strikes on Wednesday targeting coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Iran's Greater Tunb Island, Central Command said in a statement.

The 90-minute wave of strikes were aimed at curbing Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Wednesday it launched airstrikes on Greater Tunb Island in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Iranian defense and missile sites.

The island, seized by Iran since 1971 from what would become the United Arab Emirates, is viewed as a strategic point in the strait.

Central Command said it launched a 90-minute attack targeting the island.

“The strikes further degraded Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” it said.

The International Maritime Organisation said the Strait of Hormuz remains too dangerous for commercial vessels to transit.

Speaking on Bloomberg Radio, Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO's secretary general, said the waterway remains unsafe.

“I will maintain the message of upholding international law, for countries to do the same thing, and for companies — at this stage, particularly with the volatility — not to take risks to transit through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened Wednesday to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the blockade.

“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” it said.

Both the US and Iran launch attacks as the blockade is reimposed

The U.S. carried out a wave of strikes, hitting dozens of targets over seven hours overnight, the military’s Central Command said Wednesday. Later, it resumed striking Iran during daylight — an usual move that further signaled the increasing tempo in attacks.

Trump said he would intensify the US’s bombardment against Iran until it stops attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and agrees to open the waterway.

American forces hit Iranian military targets overnight for a fourth straight day, again prompting counterstrikes from Tehran on US bases in Gulf Arab states, including Kuwait and Bahrain.

Trump pledged to bomb again on Wednesday night and continue until Iran relents.

“We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night,” he told Fox News on Tuesday. “We’re going to hit them very hard the night after. And then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. We’re going to knock out all of their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”

Energy targets in Iran will be left “for last,” he said.

The US military's Central Command says it resumes strikes on Iran in daylight, part of an increasing tempo of attacks.

“The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” Central Command said.

The strikes come as an interim deal between Iran and the U.S. is in tatters.

The Gulf monarchies of Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday confirmed they had intercepted fresh aerial salvos from Iran as Tehran and Washington exchanged fire over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Kuwait's military said it was intercepting attack drones, and blamed "nefarious Iranian aggression", with Bahrain's army later saying it "succeeded in intercepting and destroying a number of the treacherous Iranian aerial attacks".

In the early hours of the morning, Bahrain's interior ministry said it had sounded warning sirens and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.