Iran Declares Full-Scale War As US Strikes Intensify

TEHRAN: (News Desk) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Iran is engaged in a “full-scale war” with the United States as Washington expanded military strikes across the country, including areas near Bushehr, home to Iran’s only operational civilian nuclear power plant.

In a statement released by the presidency, Pezeshkian said Iran must be prepared for the consequences of continued resistance, describing the conflict as a major national challenge.

The latest escalation follows renewed fighting between Tehran and Washington after a weeks-long lull that had followed a memorandum of understanding reached in June. The collapse of that understanding has intensified military operations across the region and heightened concerns over security in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.

According to Iranian officials, US strikes on Monday targeted several provinces that host military bases and air defence facilities. Authorities in Bushehr reported that multiple locations in the city were struck, while officials in East Azerbaijan province said one person was killed and several others were injured.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said diplomatic contacts with the United States were continuing through international mediators, indicating that communication channels remain open.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was expected to visit Pakistan, which has been involved in mediation efforts, according to sources.

Strait of Hormuz Remains a Key Flashpoint

Maritime security concerns also intensified after a vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting its crew to abandon ship. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported the incident, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed two oil tankers attempting to transit the waterway had been disabled.

Iran reiterated that it would not allow the strategic shipping lane to be used in ways that threaten its national security, while the United States has urged the international community to help safeguard commercial navigation in the Gulf.

Regional Attacks Continue

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they carried out overnight strikes on military targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Syria.

Global Oil Prices Ease After Month High Amid Iran Diplomacy

The Guards claimed ballistic missiles targeted US military aircraft at Aqaba Airport in Jordan and said military facilities in Kuwait, including an early-warning radar system, were also struck. Those claims have not been independently verified.

Kuwait confirmed that its air defence systems were responding to hostile drone activity, while Bahrain activated air raid sirens and urged residents to seek shelter following what authorities described as Iranian attacks targeting the country’s air navigation systems.

US Reports Additional Military Casualties

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it completed its ninth consecutive night of military operations against Iran.

US officials also confirmed new military casualties, saying two American service members were killed during Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan, while another died in Iraq during the controlled disposal of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone.

President Donald Trump said the latest US strikes had inflicted significant damage on Iranian targets and linked the operations to the deaths of American personnel.

Iran’s Health Ministry previously reported that recent fighting had killed at least 50 people and injured more than 500 others.