Iran has launched a sweeping military response after the United States carried out a major wave of airstrikes against Iranian territory, with Tehran announcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and warning that further American aggression will be met with decisive action.

The escalation followed US attacks on more than 140 sites across Iran on Saturday. Washington claimed the strikes were in response to an incident involving a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran has maintained that it is exercising its sovereign right to safeguard one of the world's most strategically important waterways.

Iranian authorities announced early Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice as the country strengthens security measures amid continued US military operations.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched the first phase of a broad retaliatory campaign targeting American military assets and regional partners supporting Washington's military activities.

According to the IRGC, Iranian forces struck the US-operated Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, targeting command-and-control facilities as well as hangars housing MQ-9 surveillance drones. Several regional governments, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, acknowledged responding to missiles and drones during the escalation.

The latest confrontation has placed the fragile ceasefire agreement reached last month under severe strain. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts through continued military aggression despite ongoing mediation.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned the latest US attacks as a clear violation of the ceasefire understanding, stressing that Iran reserves its legitimate right to self-defense under international law.

Despite the renewed hostilities, diplomatic contacts reportedly remain active as mediators continue efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict.

The latest crisis erupted after the IRGC intercepted a vessel it said was navigating through the Strait of Hormuz using an unauthorized route. Iranian military officials have repeatedly emphasized that ships transiting the strategic waterway must comply with security regulations designed to protect regional stability and maritime safety.

Iran has previously published designated navigation routes through the Strait, arguing that adherence to these corridors is necessary amid heightened military tensions caused by the growing US naval presence in the region.

The United States subsequently launched extensive strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, claiming to have targeted missile positions, drone facilities, communications networks and coastal defense installations.

Iranian officials confirmed that several military sites and telecommunications facilities along the southern coast sustained damage but stressed that the country's armed forces remain fully operational and prepared to respond to any further attacks.

The IRGC described its retaliatory operations as the beginning of a broader campaign aimed at deterring future American military action and defending Iran's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that hostile missiles targeted Qeshm Island, a strategically important location in the Persian Gulf that hosts key IRGC facilities, further underscoring what Tehran describes as the expanding scope of US-led military aggression.

While Washington continues to insist that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, Iranian authorities have maintained that security conditions require temporary restrictions and have reaffirmed their determination to protect the country's territorial waters and strategic interests against external threats. (ILKHA)