U.S. airstrikes on Iran enter the third night! Trump says the Middle East allies “should pay protection money,” as two oil tankers are destroyed

The U.S. military launched airstrikes on Iran for the third consecutive night. Trump announced that Middle Eastern allies would be charged “protection fees.” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps destroyed two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz continues to escalate.
(Background: “Iran draws red lines: don’t think about restarting negotiations if the U.S. doesn’t meet these 5 conditions”)
(Background: “The U.S. defense minister is ready at any time for a military escalation against Iran.”)

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• U.S. military airstrikes for the third consecutive night; attacks reported across Iran
• IRGC destroys two “rule-violating” oil tankers
• Trump: Middle East allies should pay “protection fees”
• Trump labels the airstrikes as “military conflict,” refuses to set a timetable
• Trump also claims: Iran has re-engaged; an agreement is still possible

The U.S. airstrikes against Iran have entered the third consecutive night. In the early hours of July 14, multiple new developments unfolded across the Middle East at the same time. Trump announced from the White House that wealthy Middle Eastern allies should pay “protection fees,” while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps destroyed two oil tankers that were reportedly sailing in violation of rules near the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. military airstrikes for the third consecutive night; attacks hit multiple places in Iran

On July 13, the U.S. Central Command issued a statement. Following Trump’s instructions, the U.S. military launched its third consecutive strikes against Iran at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time on July 13 (0:15 a.m. on July 14 Iranian time). The U.S. military fired four missiles near Konarak, while fighter jets also orbited over the city. Reports of multiple blasts also came from Qeshm Island and the port of Abbas.

Iranian media reported that in the early hours, U.S. attacks hit some areas in Khuzestan Province, injuring four people. Explosions were reported across Iran. According to CCTV News, the U.S. military fired four missiles at areas around Konarak, and U.S. fighter jets orbited overhead.

IRGC destroys two “rule-violating” oil tankers

On July 14, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps public relations department said that two foreign oil tankers ignored multiple navigation warnings near the Strait of Hormuz, illegally entered the relevant waters, and shut down their navigation systems, seriously endangering navigation safety. The Revolutionary Guards Navy, under relevant laws and regulations, took necessary measures against the two tankers and destroyed them.

Iran also stressed that the security and smooth flow of the Strait of Hormuz are crucial to global energy supplies, and Iran will continue to safeguard normal passage through the strait according to the law. According to CCTV News, Iran has initiated further investigations and will publish more information in due course.

Trump: Middle East allies should pay “protection fees”

In remarks to the media at the White House, Trump said the United States is protecting the security of wealthy Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Therefore, these countries should share the related costs. He named these countries and emphasized that the United States has abundant oil resources. Including oil from places such as Venezuela, the amount of oil supply controlled by the U.S. exceeds more than half of the world.

Trump also announced the immediate restoration of sanctions against Iran, charging a 20% fee for cargo transportation. Iran’s foreign minister responded immediately, saying that charging for ensuring passage through the strait is reasonable, but the 20% rate is “of course too high,” and Iran will charge fair fees.

Trump labels the airstrikes as “military conflict,” refuses to set a timetable

According to CNN, Trump described the renewed bombardment of Iran as “military conflict,” but denied that this means the fighting is entering a new long-term phase. He said, “We must take action now. We have greatly weakened their capabilities, but they will still resist for a while.”

Even though the current fighting has far exceeded the four-to-six-week operational timetable initially set by the U.S. government, Trump downplayed the nature of the conflict possibly lasting indefinitely. He mentioned, “We fought for 19 years in Vietnam. Here, it’s only been four months, so we’ve already done a lot.”

Trump also claims: Iran has re-engaged; an agreement is still possible

At the White House, Trump also said he believes there is still a possibility for the U.S. and Iran to reach an agreement. “Iran wants to reach an agreement, and has re-engaged with the U.S.” But he added that the U.S. military will continue launching fierce attacks on Iran to greatly weaken Iran’s ability to influence passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the U.S. is restoring “sanctions only targeting Iran.” Any ships that do business with Iran will be unable to pass, while other countries and ships can still transit normally.

Trump also previewed on social media that he will deliver a nationwide address on Thursday night, July 13, at 9:00 p.m. (9:00 a.m. on July 14 Beijing time), suggesting that the U.S.-Iran conflict may be accelerating further.