Trump unleashes third wave of punishing strikes on Iran after telling Congress the US is at war AGAIN

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 22:42, 13 July 2026 | Updated: 22:55, 13 July 2026 The US announced a new round of strikes on Iran on Monday, hours after President Donald Trump said that the United States is 'reinstating' a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. This is the third consecutive day with American strikes on Tehran and the fifth in the past week.  'At 4:45 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief's direction,' CENTCOM said in a statement.'  'These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.' Iran has insisted it controls the critical waterway, as another exchange of fire threatened a return to all-out war. The US had until now said the strait should remain open to all without tolls, as it was before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.  Any attempt by the US or Iran to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and raise tensions, likely causing further economic disruption far beyond the region. The new round of attacks followed Trump telling conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, 'We're going to hit them very hard tonight and we're going to hit them hard tomorrow — and there's not a damn thing they can do about it.' The US announced a new round of strikes on Iran on Monday, hours after President Donald Trump said that the United States is 'reinstating' a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz 'They have nothing,' Trump added. 'They have nothing going, other than they have big mouths.'