The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, shattering a month-old ceasefire and reimposing a naval blockade that had been eased under an interim peace deal. The renewed hostilities, centered on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, mark a dramatic escalation in a conflict that began in February, with both sides trading fire across the region and Iran vowing to keep the waterway closed until American aggression ends. Main Developments US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it executed "a wave of strikes" designed to degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported explosions near the port city of Bandar Abbas, on Qeshm Island, and at Bandar Imam Khomeini, with fresh strikes later hitting Bushehr, home to Iran's only civilian nuclear plant. Read also: PM Orders Monthly FBR Visits to Karachi for Business Tax Relief Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by targeting the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, where the US military said it intercepted attacks against civilian targets. Jordan's armed forces reported downing three missiles from Iran. Separately, Kuwait said one of its naval vessels was struck during an Iranian missile and drone barrage, wounding four crew members. President Donald Trump warned he would widen strikes next week to hit power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table. "Next week it gets really bad for them," he told Fox News. Despite the return to hostilities, mediated talks between the two sides have not formally ended. Background The resumption of fighting follows a memorandum of understanding reached last month in Islamabad, which had paused hostilities and opened a path toward peace talks. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the renewed US blockade "has, in a way, dismantled the Islamabad memorandum," referring to the interim deal. At the heart of the conflict is the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical for global oil and gas flows. Iran blockaded the strait after the US and Israel launched a massive attack on February 28, using it as leverage against its foes for months. The strait was briefly reopened, then Iran vowed to close it again "until the US ends its aggression." The US responded by reimposing its own blockade of Iran's ports. Since the war began, Iran has asserted control over the strait and opened fire on ships using routes it deems unauthorized. The Guards stated: "The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression." A Norwegian tanker was hit by an explosion off the Omani coast early Tuesday, according to crisis response company MTI Network. Why It Matters The renewed conflict threatens global energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz being a chokepoint for about 20% of the world's oil and gas. Trump scrapped a planned 20% levy on ships using the strait, announced Monday, replacing it with trade and investment deals with Gulf states. "I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said on Truth Social. In Kuwait, residents expressed deep anxiety. "Every day, I wake up wondering whether the situation will de-escalate or worsen," said Mustafa Mohamed, a 39-year-old Sudanese accountant. "It has become difficult to feel at ease or plan anything because uncertainty grips everyone." George Atef, a 38-year-old Egyptian civil servant, added: "What exhausts me most is not knowing when this situation will end – the waiting itself has become draining." Since last week, renewed US attacks have killed at least 30 people in Iran, according to government spokesman Fatemeh Mohajerani. The military separately announced that seven of its personnel were killed in Wednesday's strikes on the southeast. What's Next Trump's threat to escalate strikes to power plants and bridges next week raises the stakes, with the potential for even wider devastation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country has not rejoined the war so far, warned Iranian leaders from Dimona—a town believed to house Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal—that Israel would deal a heavy blow if attacked. "Do not count on things remaining quiet if you attack us," he said. Mediated talks continue in the background, but with both sides entrenched, a return to diplomacy appears uncertain. The coming days will test whether the ceasefire can be revived or if the Middle East is headed for a prolonged, destructive cycle of strikes and retaliation.