The United States has launched fresh military strikes on targets in southern Iran as diplomatic efforts intensify over a possible new nuclear agreement between Washington and Tehran.
According to the US Central Command, the strikes targeted missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to deploy naval mines near the Strait of Hormuz. American officials described the operation as a defensive measure aimed at protecting US forces in the region.
Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said the attacks were conducted in “self-defense” while maintaining restraint during the fragile ceasefire currently in place between both sides.
The strikes reportedly occurred near Bandar Abbas, a strategic southern port city that hosts a major Iranian naval base along the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media had earlier reported explosions in the area, though Tehran had not officially responded to the latest US action as of Tuesday.
The military escalation comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement involving senior Iranian officials and mediators from Qatar aimed at reviving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions were ongoing and indicated that diplomacy remained possible despite rising tensions.
Speaking during an official visit to India, Rubio said talks involving Iran’s foreign minister and Qatar’s prime minister were focused on specific language in an initial framework document.
“We’ll see if we can make progress. I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth,” Rubio told reporters, adding that President Donald Trump remained committed to securing what he described as a “good deal.”
Rubio also stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, calling any attempt to disrupt shipping routes “illegal” and “unsustainable for the world.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei acknowledged that negotiators had made progress on several issues but cautioned against expectations of an immediate agreement.
He said discussions had advanced on “a large portion” of the matters under negotiation, but insisted that no final breakthrough had yet been reached.
Reports indicate that the talks include proposals for a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and further negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear activities.
US media reports also claimed intelligence agencies believe Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured during an earlier Israeli strike that killed his predecessor, is currently in hiding, complicating direct communication with negotiators.
Washington is also reportedly seeking commitments from Tehran on curbing uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Before the conflict escalated, Iran was believed to possess approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, a level considered close to weapons-grade material.
Trump on Monday said the enriched uranium would either be handed over to the United States immediately or destroyed under a coordinated arrangement with Iran.
The conflict between the two countries intensified after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year triggered retaliatory attacks by Tehran on Israeli and Gulf-linked targets, raising fears over regional stability and global oil supplies.
