U.S. and Iran exchange strikes as Trump issues pointed warning
Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reports live from Tel Aviv on intensifying tensions between the United States and Iran. Retired Navy Captain Brent Sadler offers analysis of U.S. Central Command operations against targets on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a response to Iran firing eight ballistic missiles at American military installations in Jordan.
Several U.S. embassies across the Middle East issued alerts on Tuesday, warning American citizens of the “potential for unforeseen escalation” as U.S. Central Command carried out fresh strikes on Iranian territory.
Notices posted on the websites of the U.S. embassies in Jerusalem, Jordan, and Qatar urged Americans in the region to “exercise caution and heightened vigilance” and prepare for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and broader travel disruptions.
The advisories coincided with a CENTCOM announcement that its forces “began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran” at approximately 12 p.m. ET.
“The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” CENTCOM stated.
US STRIKES IRGC, IRANIAN PORT TARGETS AFTER TRUMP VOWS TO ‘HIT BACK HARD’
An armed member of Iran’s police special forces adjusts a flag during a pro-government rally in downtown Tehran on Jan. 12, 2026. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump described the operation as “large and powerful,” characterizing it as retaliation for Iran’s “failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait,” which he noted “currently has no mines” after they were “completely removed or detonated.” He also referenced the eight missiles fired at a U.S. military base in Jordan, all of which, he said, were “successfully knocked down.”
“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level,” Trump wrote, adding that “there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran” if Iran responds.
Earlier in the week, U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers positioned on an island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such action in roughly a month.
According to U.S. Central Command, Iranian forces were preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait when American units struck Larak Island.
Iran retaliated by launching eight ballistic missiles aimed at U.S. bases in Jordan.
NEW REPORT EXPOSES INTACT IRANIAN BUNKER THAT MAY HIDE REGIME’S ONGOING NUCLEAR WORK
Soldiers parade during National Army Day on April 18, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. (Getty Images)
The embassies further cautioned that “the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.”
“U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” the notice read. “Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions.”
U.S. Navy E/A 18G electronic-warfare aircraft patrol the skies over the Middle East as the U.S. military is enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports, according to CENTCOM. (CENTCOM)
The embassies concluded by noting that “the situation in the Middle East remains fluid” and describing the Iranian regime as “unpredictable,” pointing to recent attacks in areas previously untouched by the conflict, including Egypt. The notice urged Americans to “remain vigilant,” emphasizing that past safety in a given country does not guarantee future security.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.