US Claims Military Objectives in Iran Achieved as Strikes Intensify

Speaking during remarks alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Vance indicated that the US operations in Iran have met most of their intended goals.

"The United States has largely accomplished its military objectives in Iran," Vance said.

"The ball is in the Iranians court now....Iranians are not the fastest negotiators before the war started and they are certainly not the fastest negotiators now. We recognize there's some delay sometimes in transmitting messages from one person to another, but we feel confident that we can get a response, whether it's positive or negative. We're going to get a response from the Iranians by 8 o'clock tonight. I hope they make the right response, because what we really want is we want a world where oil and gas is flowing freely, where people can afford to heat their homes and cool their homes, where people can afford to transport themselves to work," he added.

Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Tehran have reached a boiling point as a heavy barrage of aerial strikes was reported across multiple locations in Iran on Tuesday. According to NBC News, even prior to the expiration of the deadline set by the White House, "an intense wave of strikes was reported on bridges across Iran and on Kharg Island," which serves as the "country's key oil export hub."

A US official confirmed the scale of the operation, stating that the "US military struck dozens of military targets on the island overnight." This targeted action marks a severe expansion of the ongoing military confrontation in the Persian Gulf.

Providing further details on the nature of the engagement, the US official told NBC News that the "mission included US airstrikes along the northern side of the island." It was clarified that the operation was conducted entirely from the air and "did not include any US troops on the ground."

The strikes were reportedly precision-based, focusing on neutralising Tehran's defensive and logistical capabilities rather than the energy infrastructure itself. The official noted that the forces "did not strike the oil", but directed their fire towards specific strategic assets.

Among the sites destroyed were "military bunkers and storage facilities, air defence systems, and other military facilities."

These targeted operations coincide with reports from Iranian state media outlet Mehr News, which also confirmed that the "critical oil hub, Kharg Island, came under attack" on Tuesday. The small island in the Persian Gulf serves as Tehran's most vital oil facility, handling nearly 90 per cent of Iran's oil exports. Because much of the Iranian mainland coastline is too shallow for large tankers, the island is considered indispensable for the country's energy trade.

- ANI