NEW YORK / Anadolu

The US Army announced on Wednesday the launch of a second wave of strikes targeting Iran.

This came in a statement by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on the American company X platform.

The US Army said: "At 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time (19:00 GMT), US forces initiated operations as part of the second wave of strikes today against Iran."

It added: "The strikes target Iranian military capabilities used to threaten ships that freely transit the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for global trade."

The US Army affirmed that it is holding Iran accountable based on directives from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (President Donald Trump).

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Central Command announced the start of additional strikes on Iran, amid ongoing escalation between Washington and Tehran in recent days.

Since Sunday dawn, the United States has been launching daily raids on several cities and islands in Iran, claiming retaliation for Tehran targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday evening, CENTCOM announced new attacks and the resumption of the naval blockade on Iran.

In response, Tehran retaliates by bombing what it says are US military installations in Arab countries, while some of those countries have reported that Iranian attacks resulted in civilian casualties and damage to civilian facilities.

Previously, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June that included a ceasefire, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, as a prelude to reaching a final agreement to end the war, before Trump announced on July 8 the termination of the ceasefire due to renewed escalation.