WASHINGTON, United States, July 14, 2026 (AFP) – The United States launched a fresh salvo of strikes against Iran, marking a new escalation in the resumption of hostilities, even as US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran was still possible.

“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow,” Mr Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt.

Shortly after, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced strikes had begun at 9.45pm Irish time, the third consecutive night of attacks.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said.

Mr Trump formally notified Congress last week that the US had resumed military conflict against Iran, the White House confirmed to AFP, giving the Pentagon an additional 60 days to operate in the region without congressional approval.

The US military said it had hit dozens of targets early yesterday, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced new strikes on Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman.

Mr Trump also threatened to destroy Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried nuclear site near Natanz where Western intelligence suspects Iran is building an undeclared enrichment facility.

“Tell the Iranians to be ready. Let them know we’re coming, there’s not a damn thing they can do about it,” he told Mr Hewitt.

CENTCOM, following Mr Trump’s orders, announced it would reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports beginning at 9pm Irish time today. Oil prices shot up more than 9% over fears of renewed conflict.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump declared the United States would be “‘known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT'” and levy a 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the waterway.

While Iran’s ports would again be blockaded, Mr Trump said “all other countries will have fair and open use of the strait”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi immediately mocked President Trump’s toll threat, writing on X that “POTUS is absolutely right” that whoever guarantees safe passage should be compensated – but that Iran would charge less.

“20% is of course too much,” he added.