The US carried out fresh overnight strikes against Iran, targeting missiles capable of threatening American assets such as aircraft carriers, along with drones and other threats tied to the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US official. The strikes were launched from both land and sea, marking a broader operational footprint than earlier rounds this week.

Officials (via CNN reports) described the ceasefire that had governed the fragile standoff with Iran as having at least temporarily lapsed, underscoring how quickly the situation has deteriorated since the weekend and early week attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military is said to be in a wait-and-see posture, monitoring Iran’s response before committing to any further action, though officials cautioned that additional strikes beyond what has already been announced remain firmly on the table.

The overnight action follows a day of escalating rhetoric from President Trump, who declared earlier this week that the interim agreement ending the war was over and floated the possibility of a larger operation, including a potential strike on Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export terminal. Iran, for its part, has signalled it would respond to further US action by closing the Strait entirely and doubling its retaliatory targets.

The targeting of Iranian missile capability aimed specifically at US carriers suggests Washington is prioritising the neutralisation of Iran’s ability to strike back at high-value American assets, rather than only addressing shipping lane threats. With the ceasefire’s status now openly in question and the Pentagon describing the situation as highly fluid, markets and regional governments alike are bracing for the possibility that this round of strikes is not the last, and that the coming days could bring a further escalation rather than a return to the truce that has held, however unevenly, since June.