Dubai, UAE — The United States launched an 11th consecutive night of air strikes against military targets in Iran early on Wednesday, while senior U.S. officials said Washington remained open to negotiations but warned Tehran was not serious about diplomacy, as the conflict showed no signs of easing.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the latest strikes targeted aircraft hangars and drone storage facilities, describing the operation as part of efforts to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes began at 2300 GMT on Tuesday.
The latest attacks came after President Donald Trump said the United States was “not finished” with military operations against Iran, signalling that the campaign would intensify.
Iranian state media said air defence systems were activated across Tehran and reported strikes in the west, east and northeast of the capital. It also reported attacks in northwestern and southern Iran, as well as explosions in Bushehr, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant.
Speaking at a meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Manila, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remained willing to engage with Tehran if it demonstrated a genuine commitment to negotiations.
“If they’re serious, we’re serious. If they’re not, then we will do what’s necessary to protect our interests, and also the interests of our allies,” Rubio said.
Rubio also warned that allowing Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous global precedent.
“If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and blow up your ships if you don’t pay, we have created a very dangerous precedent,” he said.
Separately, two sources told Reuters that the Trump administration plans to submit to Congress in the coming days a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that would allow the sharing of civilian nuclear technology without safeguards previously sought by Washington to prevent the diversion of materials for weapons programmes.
The agreement, known as a “123 Agreement”, was signed by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman after a preliminary accord reached in Riyadh last year.
Trump is also scheduled to attend the dignified transfer of U.S. military personnel killed in Iranian attacks during a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base later on Wednesday.
