US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it has begun launching “self-defense strikes” against multiple targets in Iran at the direction of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
According to Iranian state media reports, explosions were heard in western Tehran and the southern Iranian cities of Sirik and Minab on Wednesday evening.
The Wall Street Journal, citing a senior American official, reported that the US is striking Iranian air defenses and radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Reuters, Iran's top joint military command announced that the Strait would be closed in response to the strikes and that any vessel attempting transit through the waterway will be shot at.
Iranian state media then claimed that two "violating ships" were hit by Iran’s navy.
CENTCOM denied that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, asserting that "commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait" in a post on X/Twitter.
US to 'hit Iran hard,' Hegseth warns
The strikes were announced shortly after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a security cabinet meeting with Trump, stated that the US was “going to hit Iran hard” on Wednesday, according to an Axios report.
“Those strikes that will happen tonight will be strong and clear and if they have to happen tomorrow night, they will be strong and clear,” Hegseth asserted, adding that CENTCOM will be “busy tonight.”
Hegseth clarified that the strikes on “key facilities” in Iran would be intended to “set the terms for a deal” rather than to restart the war.
He stated that Trump is prepared to make a deal and that “Iran would be wise to take it.”
"If we need to negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs,” Hegseth added.
Second consecutive night of CENTCOM strikes
CENTCOM conducted similar strikes against Iran on Tuesday after a US Army Apache Helicopter was downed near the Strait of Hormuz.
In Tuesday’s strikes, the US targeted Iranian air defenses, ground control stations, and radar sites with precise munitions, according to a CENTCOM statement at the time.
Reuters and Danya Saperstein contributed to this report.