Trump Authorizes Massive Strikes on Iran Over Hormuz Control
Donald Trump authorized wide-scale airstrikes against Iranian military targets and tankers after Iran attempted to mine the Strait of Hormuz and attack U.S. bases in Jordan.
The United States and Iran engaged in a severe military escalation on September 1 and 2, 2026, centered on control of the Strait of Hormuz. Following a Sunday strike on Larak Island to disable mine-laying launchers, Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan, including Camp Titin and Prince Hassan Air Base, and deployed drones toward the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Donald Trump responded by authorizing a broad wave of airstrikes targeting approximately 100 sites across southern Iran, including Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Qeshm Island. For the first time, the U.S. implemented a tanker-for-tanker policy, striking two Iranian state-owned tankers. Trump claimed the U.S. now maintains almost total control of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that further retaliation would be met with a much harder and higher level of force.
Iran retaliated with further missile and drone volleys targeting U.S. assets in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. While the U.S. reported most projectiles were intercepted, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed significant U.S. casualties. Conversely, Iranian officials reported that U.S. strikes hit civilian infrastructure, including a wedding in Kuhestak that killed at least five people.
Parallel to military action, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a campaign of weekly bank sanctions to economically asphyxiate the regime. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed readiness to return to a June ceasefire framework if the U.S. reciprocates, but Trump dismissed the likelihood of negotiations, asserting the Iranian economy is collapsing.
