Iran threatens Strait of Hormuz closure after fresh US strikes; Washington rejects claim

Iran launched attacks targeting US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain on Thursday, escalating hostilities in the Gulf after fresh American air and cruise missile strikes on Iranian military sites.

Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace and diverted flights after what state-run Kuwait News Agency described as interceptions of "hostile objects" by the country's air defence systems.

In Bahrain, sirens sounded for a second time on Thursday, according to the country's Interior Ministry. Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

The US Embassy in Jordan issued an alert late Wednesday warning that missiles, drones or rockets had been detected in Jordanian airspace.

"Seek overhead cover and shelter in place immediately," the embassy said, advising US citizens to remain indoors and monitor official alerts.

The latest exchange came hours after the United States carried out a second round of strikes against multiple targets in Iran.

"US Central Command forces began launching additional self-defence strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief's direction. The strikes are in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.

According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted military surveillance, communications and air defence facilities and involved assets from the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.

The military did not provide details on the extent of damage caused.

The escalation also raised concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed the strait would be "closed to all vessels" following the latest US strikes.

"You make the sacred Strait of Hormuz insecure?! We will turn the region into hell for you from across Iran," IRGC Aerospace Force commander Seyed Majid Mousavi was quoted as saying by Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.

The US military, however, rejected the claim, with CENTCOM stating on X that commercial shipping traffic remained unaffected.

"TRUTH: Commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight," it said.

Meanwhile, Trump said top Iranian officials had directly contacted him seeking a halt to the American bombing campaign, according to comments reported by Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.

The US President said Washington had carried out "vicious" and "violent" strikes earlier in the day and warned that military action would intensify if Tehran failed to reach an agreement with the United States.

According to Trump, the operation involved 49 Tomahawk cruise missiles and fighter aircraft targeting radar and air defence installations around 40 miles outside Tehran and along Iran's southwestern coast on the Persian Gulf.

"We'll bomb the S— out of them tomorrow," Trump warned, according to the report.