Donald Trump unleashes devastating new strikes on Iran as full-blown conflict threatens to reignite

Donald Trump has unleashed a series of new attacks on Iran, threatening the reignition of full-blown conflict.

Late on Thursday, explosions were heard on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz - with Iranian state television confirming the blasts came amid an active "exchange of fire".

Iran earlier accused the US military of violating its ceasefire by targeting two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and targeting civilian areas, on its coasts.

But the President has said the strikes were just a "love tap" and denied that the US had violated a fragile ceasefire.

"The ceasefire is going. It's in effect," Mr Trump told American outlet ABC News.

US Central Command confirmed it had struck Iran, saying it had "eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities", which included missile launch sites and command and control locations.

The US military said Iran had launched multiple missiles, drones, and small boats towards three US Navy Destroyer ships.

No American assets were struck by Iran, but Tehran said the country's Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas had been targeted in the retaliatory strikes.

Mr Trump, on Truth Social, said the three destroyers - Truxtun, Peralta and Mason - transited "very successfully" out of the strait while under fire.

He confirmed there was no damage to the vessels and "great damage done to the Iranian attackers", adding that the US Navy intercepted both missile and drone fire.

Describing the intercepted missiles, the President said: "They dropped ever so beautifully down to the ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!

"A normal Country would have allowed these destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal country.

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"They are led by LUNATICS, and if they had the chance to use a nuclear weapon, they would do it, without question."

It is unclear what effect the US strikes on Qeshm Port, the island located within the Strait of Hormuz, will have on the ceasefire and future peace negotiations as Operation Epic Fury winds down.

Iranian local media has described the situation on its islands and coastal cities as "back to normal" after the strikes.

And the President has said the three US Navy destroyers will rejoin the naval blockade, which he described as a "wall of steel".

Washington is yet to receive a response to its proposal which would halt fighting - but would leave the issue of Iran's nuclear programme unresolved.

The agreement was being negotiated on behalf of the US by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had been travelling to Pakistan for talks with Iran.

However, the pair's most recent planned visit, set for late April, was cancelled after Mr Trump said the US "held all the cards" and said all Iran had to do was "call".

The one-page, 14-point memorandum would involve Iran placing a freeze on nuclear enrichment, and both sides lifting restrictions around travel in the Strait of Hormuz.

US officials have said they expect a response from Iran within the next two days.

"We are not far, but there is no deal yet," the White House official added.