Iran said it no longer considers itself bound by the June 17 memorandum of understanding, while CENTCOM disabled an oil tanker heading towards Iran and President Donald Trump warned Tehran that military operations would continue.
Iranian officials said a missile struck areas near a cancer hospital in Ahvaz as the United States launched another wave of strikes and tightened maritime operations against Tehran. | Reuters via ANI
The military confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified on Wednesday, with Tehran ruling out any immediate negotiations with Washington even as Iranian officials reported a missile strike near a cancer hospital in Ahvaz and the US launched another round of military operations targeting Iran.
The developments mark another sharp escalation in the conflict. The United States expanded both its air campaign and maritime enforcement measures, while Iran signalled that it would continue military retaliation and no longer considered itself bound by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that had sought to halt hostilities.
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Hossein Kermanpour, head of the Public Relations and Information Center at Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said areas near Boghayi Hospital 2 in Ahvaz came under missile attack.
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The hospital is dedicated to treating cancer patients.
In a post on X, Kermanpour said frightened patients and their attendants fled the hospital after hearing loud explosions and feeling severe tremors. He said only the most critically ill patients remained inside.
Iranian state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) also reported damage at the Souza fish powder factory in Qeshm, citing Hormozgan Governorate officials.
According to the governor’s office, the facility suffered limited damage and no casualties were reported because the affected area was unoccupied.
Iran also dismissed the possibility of resuming talks with the United States.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was focused on defending itself and had no plans to return to negotiations while US military operations continued.
“We currently have no plans for negotiations and are focused on defence,” Baghaei said, according to Iranian state media Press TV.
He accused Washington of violating the June 17 memorandum of understanding from the outset.
“An MoU is a set of mutual commitments, and in the event of a breach by the other party, we too will refrain from fulfilling our obligations; this is a principle, and this same path will be followed henceforth,” he said.
Baghaei also warned that Iran’s armed forces would respond to further military action.
“Our armed forces will respond with full force to any aggressor. If they strike, they will be struck back,” he said.
Iran maintains that transit through the Strait of Hormuz falls under its responsibility under Article 5 of the 14-point MoU. The United States disputes Tehran’s position and says its operations are aimed at protecting commercial shipping.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces carried out a second wave of strikes on Wednesday against Iranian military capabilities that it alleged threatened vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the strikes began at 3 pm ET under the direction of the US Commander in Chief.
Separately, the command said US forces enforced naval blockade measures by disabling an empty Curacao-flagged oil tanker, identified as M/T Belma, after it allegedly ignored repeated warnings while sailing towards Iran’s Kharg Island.
According to CENTCOM, a US aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the vessel’s smokestack, preventing it from continuing towards Iran.
The command said US forces had redirected two compliant commercial vessels and disabled one vessel that allegedly failed to comply with blockade measures during the first 24 hours of enforcement.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohammadi said Iran’s military campaign would continue.
“The enemy should not imagine that it can continue the current equation of the battle and turn the war into one of attrition. Iran’s operations are currently focused on destroying America’s offensive infrastructure in the region. The next steps will then begin,” he said in a post on X.
US President Donald Trump said he had not set formal deadlines for Iran but warned Tehran to change its course.
“I don’t like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know—they know the story. They better behave,” Trump told reporters after arriving in Pennsylvania for the Pennsylvania Defence and Innovation Summit.
Trump reiterated that US military operations would continue until he decided otherwise and did not rule out the possibility of deploying American ground troops.
“Sometimes you need a ground campaign, but we have other people that will do the ground campaign for us,” he said.
He also repeated his call for Tehran to negotiate.
“You better make a deal. You’re not going to have anybody left,” Trump said.
CNN reported that US and Iranian representatives remain in contact, although Washington maintains that negotiations cannot advance while Iran continues restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
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