Capitals, July 14 (SANA)The United States continued its intensive strikes onIranalong the Gulf coast, as Tehran retaliated by targeting neighboring Arab countries in a mutual escalation just hours before Washington was set to reimpose its naval blockade on Iranian ports.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement Tuesday that its strikes hit Iranian coastal defense systems, drone and missile facilities, and naval assets, while Iranian media reported multiple explosions near the cities of Bandar Abbas and Bushehr.

Strikes and escalating tensions

Iran responded with a ballistic missile attack onJordan. Jordan’s armed forces said Tuesday they intercepted and destroyed four missiles in the kingdom’s airspace that had come from Iranian territory, according to a statement.

The US struck Iranian targets for five hours early Tuesday in a battle for control of theStrait of Hormuz, driving oil prices to their highest levels in four weeks, according to Reuters.

US strikes also targeted the oil-rich Khuzestan province and the cities of Abadan and Mahshahr—among Iran’s most important oil and petrochemical industry centers—according to reports.

The Strait of Hormuz saw new attacks, with Iranian missiles targeting oil tankers. Two UAE-flagged tankers were hit, killing one crew member and wounding eight others. Another attack struck a cargo ship belonging to Norway’s Stolt-Nielsen in the Arabian Sea off the coast ofOman, according to shipping reports.

Despite the escalation, U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran, but simultaneously announced the reimposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports. He also expressed his desire to impose a 20% fee on shipments transiting the strait in exchange for U.S. protection — a move that would conflict with international law guaranteeing freedom of navigation, according to Reuters and other sources.

Iran escalated its attacks on maritime navigation in the strait on July 12, announcing its closure and expanding attacks on neighboring Arab countries, while Washington intensified its strikes with the reimposition of the blockade, threatening regional stability and maritime navigation, and undermining the temporary agreement reached by the two sides in June to end the war that broke out in late February.

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have reiterated that the U.S. will not allow Iran to dominate the region and that the naval blockade will remain in place until Tehran halts its attacks on commercial shipping.