Iran will 'neutralise US interventions in the region', says army spokesperson

Spokesperson for the Iranian army Brigadier General Mohammad Akaminia stressed over Iran's strategy in controlling the Strait of Hormuz, and said that "We will undoubtedly resist until the end and will neutralize US' interventions in the region," according to IRNA on Thursday.

Spokesperson for the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Brigadier General Mohammad Akaminia, stresed Iran's definitive strategy in controlling the Strait of Hormuz, and said: "We will undoubtedly resist until the end and will neutralize US' interventions in the region." pic.twitter.com/wOBJtiY6qj

— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) July 16, 2026

The news outlet stated on their X account that the US "miscalculated" that striking certain bases would allow them to take control of the strait, and asserted that Iran can enforce its "dominance" over the strait "regardless of coastlines or islands".

US completes 'wave of strikes' on Iran as Tehran retaliates with attacks on military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait

The US launched two waves of attacks on Iran's coastal defences and missile sites on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade of its ports, while Iran struck back by targeting US military sites in neighbouring countries in what it called an "existential war" with America.

The latest escalation comes days after a fragile truce collapsed, raising the spectre of a return to full-scale war, with Iran once again threatening to shut off more regional energy exports.

https://t.co/8lYsAIspma

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 16, 2026

Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz. Military operations are also keeping ships from transiting the vital artery, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war. Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, closed at a one-month high of $84.95 a barrel on Wednesday.

US Central Command said the military had attacked coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Iran's Greater Tunb Island starting around 6am EDT (3pm PKT), then launched a second wave of strikes against multiple cities nine hours later.

Read: 'They better behave,' Trump warns Iran amid fresh hostilities

"US forces struck Iranian command centres, air defence sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities," it said in a statement, adding it also hit targets in Bandar Abbas, home to Iran's largest port and key navy and Iran's Revolutionary Guards facilities on the Strait of Hormuz.

"Earlier this morning, American forces struck coastal defence and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island during a 90-minute wave," the US military added.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday it had struck US military targets in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The Guards said they targeted a gathering for US military personnel and a radar system at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait with a missile and drone attack.

مرحله دهم عملیات صاعقه ارتش؛ پایگاه‌ها و مراکز آمریکا در کویت و بحرین هدف حملات پهپادی ارتش قرار گرفت pic.twitter.com/5lIDMjpJSC

— خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) July 16, 2026

Three US officials told Reuters that US strikes aimed at forcing open the strait are also targeting Iranian military capabilities that the US would want to destroy before executing more complex operations.

The US military also said it disabled an unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward Iran's Kharg Island after it ignored multiple warnings, firing Hellfire missiles into the ship's smokestack. Since resuming a naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday, the US has redirected two ships and disabled another, the military said.

Iranian news media reported a series of explosions, mainly in coastal areas such as Bandar Abbas. Other explosions or projectile strikes were reported around the city of Ahvaz, just inland from the northern end of the Gulf, and Konarak, Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran.

Press TV reported at least two explosions in the central Iranian city of Khondab, about 250 km (155 miles) southwest of Tehran. Mehr news agency reported Iran activated its air defences in Tehran to counter hostile threats.

Iranian state broadcaster the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported that the US attacks struck near a hospital in Ahvaz that houses a pediatric cancer centre, forcing the temporary evacuation of the hospital. Families have come out to the streets around the hospital to care for their children, the IRIB said.

Read more: Iran vows to defend ‘every inch’, says MoU with the US no longer stands

After the first wave, Tehran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a statement declaring that Iranian security depended on maintaining what he called "Iranian arrangements" in the strait.

"We are in an essential and existential war with America," Ghalibaf said.

The war has killed thousands of people and displaced millions, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, where the conflict restarted between Israel and Hezbollah. In July alone, US attacks have killed 35 people, Tasnim reported, citing a health ministry official.

Jordan says it intercepted 8 Iranian missiles

Jordan's Armed Forces announced on Thursday that their air defence units intercepted eight Iranian missiles aimed at the kingdom during the early morning hours

According to a statement from a military official at the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces carried by Roya News, the interceptions were part of defensive and operational efforts to protect the country's sovereignty, secure its airspace and ensure the safety of its citizens.

The military confirmed that the incident resulted in no casualties or property damage.

It also said that teams from the Royal Engineering Corps were deployed to collect missile debris that landed in various parts of the country, securing the affected areas in line with established technical and security protocols.

The military official emphasised that Jordan's armed forces remain on full alert and continue to monitor the nation's airspace, warning that any threat will be addressed in accordance with the military's rules of engagement.

The statement came amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, with the two sides exchanging attacks despite a Pakistani-mediated memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement.

Trump says Iran wants to settle

Trump struck a triumphant note, as he has repeatedly since the US and Israel started hostilities on February 28, saying, "We'll have Iran defeated soon. They'll be defeated very soon."

Speaking at a roundtable event at the Pennsylvania Defence and Innovation Summit, Trump also claimed the Iranians want to "settle so badly."

"They don't like what we're doing, and they do want to settle. We'll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off," Trump said.

On Tuesday, Trump said US negotiators had been in touch with their Iranian counterparts to tell them "you better make a deal."

Iran's military spokesperson said that the only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was for the US to comply with the 14-point memorandum of understanding that the two sides signed in June, and the implementation of "Iranian regulations" regarding ship traffic in the strait.

Even amid the hostilities, there was a possible sign of goodwill. Trump said Iran had allowed an American who was "wrongfully detained" under the Biden administration in 2024 to leave the country.

"The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Human rights attorney Jared Genser identified the released American as Dena Karari, who had been prevented from leaving Iran since December 2024.

"Dena is now safe and travelling back to the United States," Genser wrote on X, thanking Trump for his efforts to free her.