The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Wednesday the start of operations to execute a second wave of strikes on Iran within one day, in a new escalation coinciding with Iranian attacks on countries in the region.

CENTCOM stated in a release that the operations began at 3:00 PM Eastern US Time, targeting Iranian military capabilities that it said Tehran uses to threaten ships transiting freely in the Strait of Hormuz.

It added that the US military is carrying out the strikes to hold Iran accountable under the direction of President Donald Trump, describing the Strait of Hormuz as a "vital international waterway for global trade."

US forces had begun at 6:00 AM Eastern US Time a first wave of strikes, targeting coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island, before announcing completion after about 90 minutes.

Strengthening Military Options

Wednesday's strikes followed US operations that lasted about 7 hours on Tuesday, targeting dozens of Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz and along the Iranian coast.

Three US officials said the latest wave of US strikes, which aims to open the Strait of Hormuz, also targets Iranian military capabilities that the United States seeks to destroy before conducting more complex operations, according to Reuters.

The officials, who requested anonymity, added that these strikes effectively strengthen the military options available to Trump, who has kept the world guessing about his next steps after informing Congress earlier this week of a formal resumption of conflict with Iran, according to their account.

Diplomacy and Military Force

Amid the ongoing escalation, US Vice President JD Vance said that refusing to negotiate with Iran does not provide a practical and lasting solution to prevent targeting of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that military force is one tool among several including diplomacy and economic pressure.

He added, in an interview with The Joe Rogan Experience, that Washington will use military force when tied to a specific goal, such as targeting facilities used to attack ships, but will not continue an open-ended bombing campaign without a clear purpose.

Vance explained that the goals of US policy are to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon and ensure the free flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, using both diplomacy and military force.

In contrast, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf indicated that the viability of the memorandum of understanding depends on its terms remaining in effect and being actually implemented, warning that Tehran would see no reason to continue adhering to it if it does not benefit.

He added, in a statement, that Iranian national security is linked to maintaining what he described as "Iranian arrangements" in the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring safe and harmless passage of commercial ships, accusing the United States of "trying to reduce the effectiveness of these arrangements by force."