American forces struck Iran for a third consecutive night Tuesday as Tehran answered with attacks against shipping and a U.S. military installation, bringing Operation Epic Fury back into open combat only weeks after a temporary pause raised expectations that the nearly five-month war might be moving toward negotiations.
The latest exchange placed the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the confrontation. U.S. forces attacked Iranian military capabilities connected to the waterway, while Iran continued efforts to challenge commercial traffic and American operations across the Persian Gulf. The fighting renewed concerns that a conflict once concentrated on missile sites and military installations could increasingly be fought over the movement of ships, oil and supplies through one of the world’s most important maritime passages.
Tuesday’s American operation lasted approximately five hours and included several waves of strikes. Among the reported targets were an Iranian submarine and a ship-maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas, the major port city overlooking the strait. An unmanned U.S. surface vessel was used in at least one attack, demonstrating the expanding role of remotely operated systems in a campaign already dominated by aircraft, missiles, drones and naval power.
Iran reported that its forces had struck a U.S. air base in Jordan. Iranian attacks were also reported against vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, where tankers have faced growing danger as both countries attempt to establish control over surrounding waters. Complete information about damage and casualties remained unavailable Tuesday, and claims made by the governments involved could not all be independently confirmed.
President Donald Trump formally notified Congress that the conflict with Iran had resumed, placing the renewed operations into the official record after hostilities intensified over the weekend. His administration also ordered the restoration of a naval blockade directed at Iranian shipping, with enforcement scheduled to begin Tuesday afternoon.
The blockade is intended to prevent Iranian vessels and ships serving Iranian ports from moving freely while allowing other international traffic to continue through the strait. Enforcing that distinction in crowded and contested waters will require American forces to identify, intercept and, when necessary, disable vessels that refuse military orders.
Trump abandoned a separate proposal that would have charged commercial ships a 20 percent fee for American protection while passing through the waterway. He instead said Gulf countries would pursue investment and trade agreements with the United States. The reversal removed one disputed feature of the plan but did not reduce the military risks surrounding the blockade.
Iran maintains that it possesses the authority to regulate passage through the Strait of Hormuz and collect transit payments. The United States and other governments regard the waterway as an international shipping route that must remain open. That disagreement has turned a narrow channel between Iran and Oman into both a battlefield and a test of competing claims over navigation, national sovereignty and international commerce.
Operation Epic Fury began Feb. 28 under the direction of the president. The campaign was launched to destroy Iranian offensive missile systems, missile-production facilities and naval capabilities considered capable of threatening American forces and allied countries. U.S. Central Command later expanded its target list to include command sites, air defenses, drone infrastructure and elements of Iran’s security apparatus.
American officials reported substantial damage to Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities during the earlier months of fighting. Iran nevertheless retained enough weapons and military infrastructure to continue launching missiles, operating drones and threatening ships. The renewed exchanges show that damage inflicted during the first phase of the campaign did not eliminate Tehran’s ability to respond.
Iraq remains closely connected to the conflict even though Tuesday’s most visible fighting occurred in Iran, Jordan and Gulf waters. Iran-backed armed organizations continue to operate inside Iraq, where American forces and diplomatic facilities have faced repeated rocket and drone threats. Washington is pressing the Iraqi government to disarm those militias and prevent Iraqi territory from being used for attacks against the United States or neighboring countries.
Iraq’s new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, met Trump at the White House on Tuesday as the conflict intensified. Their discussions included the future of Iran-aligned militias, whose political influence and armed strength have complicated Baghdad’s ability to remain outside the war. Any attempt to dismantle the groups could produce resistance inside Iraq, while leaving them intact risks exposing the country to retaliatory strikes and further regional instability.
The return to sustained combat was felt quickly beyond the military arena. Oil prices climbed to a four-week high as traders evaluated the possibility of interrupted shipments. Aviation authorities renewed warnings covering Iran, Iraq and several Gulf countries, where missiles, drones and active air-defense systems create hazards for civilian aircraft.
By Tuesday night, neither Washington nor Tehran had announced a new diplomatic opening. Warships remained positioned around the Gulf, Iranian forces continued challenging maritime traffic and American commanders prepared to enforce the restored blockade. Operation Epic Fury had moved out of its brief pause and into another round of direct confrontation, with the Strait of Hormuz now carrying much of the war’s military, economic and political weight.