US launches third night of strikes on Iran as Tehran hits two Emirati tankers, killing one Indian crew member

US bombardment continues

The US military carried out a third wave of overnight strikes on Iranian targets, the regional command Centcom confirmed on Tuesday morning. The attacks followed an announcement by President Donald Trump of further harsh strikes and the reimposition of a naval blockade against ships heading to or from Iranian ports. The blockade takes effect at 22:00 German time on Tuesday, according to military statements. More than 50,000 US soldiers are currently stationed in the Middle East.

Iranian media reported multiple explosions on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf, near the port city of Bushehr, on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, and in the major city of Bandar Abbas. The US military said the latest round of strikes was aimed at preventing further attacks on innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical for global trade in oil, gas, and fertilizer.

Trump threatens underground facility

In a radio interview, Trump identified an underground site in central Iran known as "Pickaxe Mountain" as a potential target. The facility's purpose has long been the subject of speculation, particularly because of its proximity to the Natanz nuclear site. One theory holds that Iran intends to build a secret uranium enrichment plant there for nuclear weapons development.

Pickaxe is a possible target for a big, fat attack. It will probably happen relatively soon.

Iranian retaliation on tankers

Iran responded by attacking two UAE tankers with cruise missiles. The vessels were travelling on the southern route within Omani territorial waters, according to the Emirates. The UAE defence ministry reported that one Indian crew member was killed and eight others were injured.

Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards claimed, via domestic media, that the US military had attempted to steer several ships onto an "illegal route." The two tankers had switched off their navigation systems and ignored repeated warnings from the Strait of Hormuz security control centre, the Guards said, after which they were fired upon and disabled.

Broader regional fallout

Air raid sirens sounded again in Bahrain, a US-allied Gulf state. The interior ministry urged residents via X to remain calm and seek shelter, without providing further details. Bahrain and Kuwait have been at the centre of Iranian retaliatory attacks in recent days and had reported hostile rocket fire only the night before.

Shipping costs and a blockade

Trump announced that the US would henceforth claim 20 percent of the freight value of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, framing it as fair compensation for the costs of ensuring safe passage. The statement marks a sharp reversal from late June, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that no country has the right to charge for the use of international waters, as they belong to no single state.

No country has the right to demand money for the use of international waters, as these do not belong to any state.

Oil prices jumped following the blockade announcement. The US military had itself attacked a tanker in the Gulf of Oman about a month ago, a vessel it said was carrying Iranian oil; the Indian government reported that three Indian crew members were killed in that incident.