The US Army on Monday night launched a third wave of strikes on targets in Iran in as many days.
In a statement, US Central Command said, “At 4:45 p.m. ET today, US Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief's direction."
“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," the statement stressed.
Iranian media reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas. Subsequent explosions were also heard on the islands of Qeshm and Kish.
The latest strikes came after US President Donald Trump vowed in an interview with Hugh Hewitt that the US would “hit Iran very hard".
The President said that Pickaxe Mountain, the underground, heavily fortified nuclear tunnel complex located near the Natanz enrichment facility where Iran is believed to have an undeclared uranium enrichment plant, is a possible target.
“Pickax is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right in the front door. And I think that maybe you'll see that," he said.
Earlier on Monday, Trump announced that the US would reinstate the naval blockade on Iran, which was lifted after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding recently.
"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving," he wrote on social media.
“All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait. The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately," he added.
Responding to Trump’s announcement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media, "POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service."
"Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER. 20% is of course too much. We will be fair," he concluded.