US launches 49 Tomahawks at Iran, Trump threatens 'no mercy' unless deal signed; Tehran retaliates against Gulf bases

The American barrage

The United States launched a new wave of attacks against Iran overnight, firing 49 Tomahawk cruise missiles at military targets. The strikes, which the US Central Command (Centcom) described as an act of self-defense, began shortly after midnight Tehran time and concluded roughly three to four hours later. Centcom stated that the targets included military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defense sites in several areas of Iran, some located approximately 64 kilometers from Tehran. The Pentagon released video of missiles being launched from the USS Michael Murphy.

If they don't sign a deal, we will bomb without mercy.

President Donald Trump framed the operation as a pressure tactic, issuing an ultimatum to Tehran to sign a peace proposal presented by US negotiators. He told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst that the attacks would cease shortly but threatened to resume bombing if Iranian leaders did not immediately agree to terms. Trump also claimed he had received phone calls from senior Iranian officials asking him to halt the bombardment.

Iran's denial and counter-strikes

Tehran swiftly rejected Trump's account. An Iranian official quoted by state media denied any contact with the White House, calling the president's statements false and accusing Washington of using them as political cover for the ongoing military operation. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced retaliatory strikes against 18 US military targets at air bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, specifically naming Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al-Jaber in Kuwait and Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

In two waves of operations, eighteen important targets belonging to the US military were hit.

The IRGC also claimed to have struck Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan with 12 ballistic missiles, aiming to destroy American F-35, F-15, and F-16 fighter jets and key infrastructure. The Bahraini Interior Ministry confirmed that warning sirens were activated in the country.

The Strait of Hormuz flashpoint

The IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz "closed until further notice" and warned it would open fire on any vessel attempting to transit the waterway, including oil tankers and commercial ships. Iranian media reported that two ships had already been targeted. Centcom quickly denied the strait was closed, asserting that commercial vessels were still passing through despite Iranian threats. The escalation follows the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz area, which preceded the American missile strikes.

A fragile ceasefire unravels

The exchange marks the latest breakdown of a fragile ceasefire agreed in early April. The IRGC said its attacks were a response to "repeated violations" of that truce by the United States. Centcom stated the American strikes were ordered by President Trump "in response to Iran's unprovoked and continued aggression." Iranian news agencies reported explosions in several cities, including Sirik, Kargan, Bandar Abbas, Minab, Varamin, and Karaj. A New York Times analysis of satellite imagery and video indicated that US forces also struck a drinking water infrastructure facility on the Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz, though it remains unclear whether the target was hit intentionally. The observed damage was consistent with a GBU-39 small-diameter precision bomb.

Diplomatic signals and ultimatums

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the strikes as an effort to force Iran into an agreement to end the conflict. Trump expressed optimism about a negotiated solution while simultaneously issuing his ultimatum. The State Department advised the population in the region to seek shelter due to projectiles passing through national airspace. Meanwhile, the IDF reported rocket launches from Lebanon toward northern Israel, urging residents in affected areas to take cover in bunkers, adding a secondary front to the regional instability.