By Ginika Igboke
The U.S. military carried out what it described as “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran on Monday, according to the United States Central Command.
CENTCOM spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said the operation targeted Iranian missile launch sites and boats allegedly attempting to place naval mines in the region.
“U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Hawkins said in a statement. “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Iranian media outlets later reported explosions in the southern city of Bandar Abbas and near the areas of Sirik and Jask. However, the source of the explosions has not been officially confirmed, and it remains unclear whether they were directly linked to the U.S. military action.
Iranian authorities had not publicly commented on the strikes at the time of reporting, leaving uncertainty over whether the incident could affect ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on May 25 that negotiations with Iran were continuing and described discussions as “proceeding nicely,” while also warning that failure to secure an agreement could result in renewed conflict.
“It will only be a great deal for all or no deal at all—back to the battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before,” Trump wrote.
The president also proposed that countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan should join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional settlement involving Iran.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Jaipur, India, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open for shipping.
“The straits have to be open. They’re going to be open one way or the other,” Rubio said.
He added that negotiations with Iran may still require several days to finalize the language of a potential agreement.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on May 25 that both countries had reached understandings on several issues but cautioned that a formal agreement to end hostilities was not close.
“At present, the focus of the negotiations is on ending the war, and at this stage we are not discussing the details of the nuclear issue,” Baghaei said, according to Iranian state media.
Preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a central objective of the Trump administration’s strategy. U.S. officials have repeatedly said Tehran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapon capabilities, while Iranian leaders maintain that the country’s uranium enrichment activities are intended solely for peaceful purposes.
Last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency found Iran noncompliant with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies. Shipping activity through the route has experienced significant disruptions following Iranian responses to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites earlier this year.
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