US forces strike Iranian missile launch sites, mine-laying boats

The United States military carried out strikes on missile launch sites and mine-laying boats in southern Iran on Monday, even as Washington and Tehran remain engaged in delicate negotiations aimed at preserving a shaky ceasefire and averting a wider regional conflict.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation targeted what it described as “imminent threats” posed by Iranian forces in the Gulf region.

“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins said in a statement.

“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he added.

The military action has intensified concerns over the stability of the ceasefire that came into effect on 8 April, after weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran rattled global markets and disrupted critical energy flows through the Gulf.

Despite ongoing diplomatic engagement, Iran has continued to exercise control over shipping movements in the Strait of Hormuz — a key global oil transit chokepoint — even as the US Navy maintains a sweeping blockade on Iranian ports.

Last week, CENTCOM claimed the blockade had already begun severely impacting Iran’s maritime trade.

The naval operation has “redirected 100 vessels and disabled four,” CENTCOM said.

The blockade is “allowing zero trade into and out of Iranian ports, which has squeezed Iran economically,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated.

Amid the military tensions, US President Donald Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone regarding ongoing negotiations with Tehran.

Speaking in a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said talks with Iran were “proceeding nicely” and suggested that a broader geopolitical agreement involving several Middle Eastern and South Asian countries could soon take shape.

Trump called on nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan to join the Abraham Accords as part of what he described as a wider regional settlement framework.

“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 — And nobody wants that!” Trump wrote.

The remarks followed Trump’s announcement over the weekend that a “broad regional understanding” involving Iran and multiple countries across the Middle East and South Asia was nearing finalisation.

The latest US strikes, however, underscore how quickly the region could slide back toward confrontation despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.

With IANS inputs