WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. forces on Tuesday launched fresh strikes on targets of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran, marking a renewed escalation in hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
If Iran "retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level," U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a post on Truth Social, describing the new strikes near the Strait of Hormuz as "large and powerful."
"But it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!" Trump threatened in the post.
In a phone interview with Fox News, he claimed U.S. forces destroyed "a lot of radar" in Iran's network, including systems Tehran attempted to rebuild.
"This is a very big hit today. If it goes a third time, they're going to be totally wiped out as a country," Trump said.
"The (USS) George Washington is loaded to the gills," he added. "We're loaded up."
Trump said Gulf allies were notified ahead of the latest strikes, according to a Fox News report.
Trump's remarks came shortly after the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced fresh strikes on IRGC targets in Iran at 12 p.m. Eastern Time (1600 GMT).
The CENTCOM said the strikes followed recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against U.S. service members deployed in the region.
Explosions were heard Tuesday in the Iranian port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, and on Qeshm Island, reports reaching here said.
Citing sources, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian military on Tuesday evening launched missiles toward U.S. bases in regional countries.
The IRGC warned Tuesday that the United States "will regret its new attacks," Iran's Fars news agency reported.
Two crude oil tankers were struck by unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening, Greece-based maritime risk organization Marisks said on Tuesday. ■
