Getty ImagesThe US military has launched new strikes on Iran after President Donald Trump said US forces would hit the country "hard" following an exchange of fire between both sides earlier this week.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said it began "additional self-defense strikes" at 17:15 Eastern time (21:15 GMT) on Wednesday against "multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief's direction".
"The strikes are in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression," Centcom added.
The US also launched strikes on Iran on Tuesday after Trump said Tehran had downed a US Army helicopter. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it responded with strikes on US bases in the region.
Explosions have also been heard on the island of Qeshm in the Gulf, as well as a number of other cities, including Bandar Abbas and Sirik.
Hours before the attack was launched, Trump had warned: "We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today."
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later said bombs would be "dropping on key facilities in Iran".
In response to Trump's comments Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran "will stand firm against any pressure or threat".
Hegseth said Iran had been given a chance to make a deal but had not taken it, and Trump had said Iran would be attacked again if no peace deal was secured.
In April, the US and Iran agreed a ceasefire that was initially meant to last for a period of two weeks. Both sides have since exchanged intermittent fire, without returning to full-scale hostilities.
However, recent efforts to broker negotiations between Washington and Tehran have stalled and airstrikes have ramped up.
On Wednesday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iranian leaders have "taken too long to negotiate a deal", while the Iranian foreign ministry accused the US of "damaging the diplomatic process through the contradictory message it sends".
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