Middle East crisis live: US military says it’s striking targets in Iran as hostilities flare

Key Points:

• Former US President Donald Trump dismissed the value of any deal with Iran, stating on Fox News that the US had given Iran many chances and that agreements with Tehran were not trustworthy.
• Explosions were reported in multiple Iranian locations including Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Lavan Island, and Konarak, coinciding with US military strikes targeting Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
• The IRGC warned the US of severe retaliation for its attacks, with spokesperson Sardar Mohebi stating that America would regret the new strikes and that harsh punishment awaited the aggressors.
• Trump warned on social media that if Iran retaliates against the US strikes, the US would respond with even harder attacks, threatening significant destruction to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• The recent escalation follows a month-long lull in direct military exchanges, with the US targeting Iranian rocket launchers and mines in the Strait of Hormuz to secure shipping routes, while Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on US and allied forces in the region.