The United States has carried out fresh air strikes close to Tehran and targeted a vessel accused of breaching an American blockade, as President Donald Trump warned he was prepared to "finish it off" amid the ongoing confrontation with Iran. The escalation marks a significant intensification of hostilities between Washington and Tehran, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and putting further pressure on shipping and energy markets across the Gulf.

Details of the strikes' precise targets and casualties were not fully confirmed, but the action against the ship suggests the US is actively enforcing a blockade against Iranian-linked vessels, while the strikes near the Iranian capital signal a willingness to hit targets close to the seat of government. Trump's rhetoric, threatening to "finish it off," points to the possibility of further, more severe military action if Iran does not de-escalate or comply with US demands.