Iran condemns U.S. strikes, vows firm response to "military aggression"

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a statement to strongly condemn the series of U.S. strikes carried out against Iran over the past 24 hours, vowing to firmly defend the nation against any military aggression.

In the statement, the ministry said the attacks constituted a serious violation of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which stipulates that "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."

The statement warned that the strikes pose a grave threat to international peace and security and have nullified recent efforts aimed at easing tensions and promoting regional stability.

Iran also accused the U.S. of breaching a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries just 25 days ago, saying the U.S. government had openly violated the agreement. According to the statement, U.S. forces targeted Iran's transportation infrastructure, fishing and cargo vessels, meteorological facilities and other buildings, and committed serious war crimes.

The ministry further alleged that the United States had blatantly interfered with Iran's management and arrangement of the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating security conditions in the strategic waterway and disrupting international commercial shipping.

It also accused U.S. forces of using the territory and facilities of countries along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf to prepare and launch operations against Iran, effectively turning those countries into "battlefields" in an illegal and criminal war against the Iranian people.

Iran reaffirms that it will firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against the United States or any other aggressors, according to the statement. It also sent warnings to "any parties participating in or cooperating with the aggressor's actions", saying any location used as a source of attacks against Iran would be considered a legitimate target for defensive action by Iranian armed forces.

Iran condemns U.S. strikes, vows firm response to "military aggression"

U.S. forces on Sunday launched a new round of strikes against Iran, the U.S. Central Command said.

"At 5 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz," the command said in a post on social media platform X.

According to U.S. Central Command Spokesman Tim Hawkins, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) fired at commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, adding that U.S. aircraft have successfully shot down an Iranian cruise missile and an attack drone. Iran has not responded to the matter.

Multiple explosions were heard from Sunday evening to early Monday in the port cities of Sirik, Bandar Abbas and Jask, all in southern Iran's Hormozgan Province, Iranian media outlets reported.

The explosion sounds came from east of Bandar Abbas and Mesen village south of Qeshm Island. Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir-Teymouri said that 10 to 11 "enemy" projectiles had hit the island, with only military targets being struck.

Media reports said the strikes resulted in one person killed and two others wounded.

The IRGC said it targeted U.S. bases in Jordan, Qatar and Oman on Sunday in retaliation for U.S. attacks against southern Iranian provinces earlier in the day.

The targets included the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a Patriot air defense system in Kuwait, and the U.S. Army's communications system and a radar site in Bahrain.

The trading of the new round of attacks between the U.S. and Iran came amid the recent escalation of tensions over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz despite a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries in mid-June.

U.S. Central Command forces launch new round of strikes against Iran