WASHINGTON, July 13 (Xinhua) - The United States launched another round of strikes against Iran on Monday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

"At 4:45 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief's direction," the command said.

The U.S. was targeting Iranian military assets including coastal surveillance systems, drone and missile capabilities, CNN quoted a U.S. official as saying.

"We're going to hit them very hard tonight, and we're going to hit them hard tomorrow," Trump said at the White House earlier on Monday.

Three boys play in the shallow waters of the Strait of Hormuz, as a plume of smoke rises from an explosion in the background, off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, July 13, 2026.  (Photo: AP)