The United States carried out another round of early-morning airstrikes on Iran on Sunday, targeting military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the operation, authorized by President Donald Trump, aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian and commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway. Iranian state media reported explosions in Sirik, Qeshm Island, Jask, and areas west of Bandar Abbas, though local authorities said no civilian casualties had been reported.

The strikes mark the latest escalation in hostilities that resumed on July 7, despite a memorandum of understanding signed last month to halt fighting. The US said it struck about 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday, including drone, missile, and naval facilities, after Iran allegedly attacked a Cyprus-registered ship. Iran has responded with counterattacks on US bases across the Middle East, while asserting its sovereignty over the strait. The Trump administration considers Iran’s drone strikes a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint and resume negotiations, warning that continued escalation could endanger regional stability and leave thousands of seafarers stranded in the waterway.