CENTCOM launches additional self-defense strikes; explosions reported in southern Iran

A woman walks past a mural denouncing the United States and Israel in Tehran, Iran, on June 3. [EPA]
A woman walks past a mural denouncing the United States and Israel in Tehran, Iran, on June 3. [EPA]

Tensions in the Middle East are deepening as Iran warned it could strike US assets in the region after President Donald Trump threatened to attack the country again.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, citing a military source, reported that if the United States attacks Iran, Iran will strike American targets in the Middle East, according to Reuters, RIA Novosti and other international media outlets on Wednesday.

"Last night we proved to the United States that any reckless action will trigger an immediate Iranian response and that Iran will not tolerate any act of aggression," the source said. "The Iranian military is on the highest alert level this Thursday evening, and the United States will again face a severe response to any aggressive action it takes."

Iran's warning came after Trump expressed frustration that Iran was delaying end-of-war negotiations and signaled his willingness to launch further strikes. The United States carried out airstrikes on military facilities and other targets inside Iran the previous day in retaliation for the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran then struck American military bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, triggering armed conflict between the two sides.

Amid the escalating standoff, CENTCOM announced it had launched additional self-defense airstrikes against multiple targets inside Iran at 5:15 p.m. Eastern time. Reports of explosions across several locations in southern Iran continued to emerge, and the conflict appeared set to extend into a second day.


yckim6452@heraldcorp.com