By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The US military on Tuesday launched a fresh round of strikes against targets belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), sharply escalating tensions in the region after a month-long lull in direct military action.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began at noon Eastern Time and were carried out against IRGC targets inside Iran. The command said the operation was prompted by what it described as recent attempted attacks by the IRGC on commercial shipping in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed in the region.
“Today at 12 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
The latest military action comes amid renewed confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which a significant share of the world’s oil trade passes. US officials have said American military operations are aimed at protecting commercial shipping and preventing Iranian forces from threatening vessels using the waterway.
The new strikes follow a renewed escalation over the weekend, when tensions flared after weeks without direct US military action. Iran subsequently launched missiles toward US bases in Jordan, according to reports, while regional forces intercepted some Iranian projectiles.
Reports said the latest US strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities along the country’s southern coast, including areas around Bandar Abbas and other locations near the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments have also unsettled global energy markets, with oil prices rising sharply amid fears that further military escalation could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude moved above $94 a barrel on Tuesday as tensions intensified.
The latest US action raises the prospect of another cycle of attacks and retaliation between Washington and Tehran, potentially increasing risks to commercial shipping, regional US forces and global energy supplies.