Rubio Warns Iran Of Further US Strikes As Hormuz Tensions Escalate

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned Iran that Washington is prepared to launch further military strikes if necessary, as fighting intensifies and tensions grow around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio said preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon remained the central objective of the United States after six months of conflict.

He said Washington would continue to rely primarily on economic pressure against Tehran but would not hesitate to use military force to protect US personnel and safeguard international shipping.

The warning came after the US military announced that it had completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets.

The targets reportedly included air defence systems operated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, radar installations, maritime assets, mine-laying equipment and communications facilities.

Rubio accused Iran of attempting to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which a significant share of the world's energy supplies passes.

He said US forces had destroyed the mines and claimed shipping lanes through the waterway had subsequently been widened.

Rubio also insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open and said Iran would not be allowed to exercise control over the international waterway.

The latest US strikes have been followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks against American positions and regional allies, including Jordan and Bahrain, according to authorities in the region.

The escalation marks a renewed phase of fighting following several months in which hostilities had eased.

Rubio also rejected the idea that Washington could simply return to the terms of a memorandum of understanding reached between the United States and Iran in June.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has previously indicated that Tehran would reciprocate if Washington returned to the agreement's terms.

However, the cease-fire that followed the understanding has since broken down, with negotiations failing to prevent a renewed escalation between the two sides.

With military operations continuing and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz mounting, Washington and Tehran appear increasingly divided over Iran's nuclear programme, regional security and the future of the crucial shipping corridor.