Kathmandu: The United States has launched fresh airstrikes against Iranian military targets after President Donald Trump warned Tehran of tougher military action if it refused to return to negotiations. The strikes mark a renewed escalation in tensions, ending a period of relative calm that followed a US-Iran agreement reached nearly a month ago.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation targeted Iranian military assets allegedly being used to threaten international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military also claimed that it disabled an empty Curaçao-flagged oil tanker, M/T Belma, with a Hellfire missile after it attempted to breach a naval blockade near an Iranian port.

Explosions Reported Across Southern Iran
Iranian state media reported powerful explosions in several southern locations, including Bandar Abbas, Rask, Chabahar, Qeshm, Bandar Imam Khomeini and Bushehr. Strikes were also reported near Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant in Bushehr.

Iranian officials said at least 30 people have been killed in US airstrikes since last week.

Regional Tensions Escalate
The renewed military confrontation has heightened instability across the Middle East. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain after Iran's Revolutionary Guards reportedly targeted the US Fifth Fleet stationed there.

Jordan said it intercepted three Iranian missiles, while the US-led coalition reportedly shot down eight explosive drones over Iraq's Erbil region. Elsewhere, a Norwegian oil tanker exploded off the coast of Oman, and a drone attack on a Kuwaiti naval vessel injured four crew members.

Trump Issues Fresh Warning
President Trump warned that if Iran refuses to return to negotiations, the United States could expand its military campaign to include civilian infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.

The US has also cautioned that Israel could launch a stronger military response if Iran carries out further attacks.

Despite ongoing mediation efforts, no formal agreement has been reached. Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran sees no reason to comply with the previous agreement until all of its provisions are implemented.

Hormuz Shipping Disrupted, Oil Prices Rise
Iran has announced plans to close the Strait of Hormuz once again, further raising concerns over global energy supplies. Shipping data from Kepler indicates vessel traffic through the strategic waterway has declined significantly, while international oil prices have begun rising in response to the renewed tensions.

President Trump also said he has suspended an earlier proposal to impose a 20 percent tax on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and instead plans to pursue broader trade agreements with Gulf nations.