Iran live updates: Trump says US will hit Iran 'very hard tonight'

 President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.

Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."

Trump says US will hit Iran ‘very hard tonight,’ will take over Kharg Island, other oil infrastructure

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. would continue to bomb Iran Thursday night and teased that American forces will take over Kharg Island and other Iranian oil infrastructure points “in the not too distant future.”

Trump added that the U.S. will also assume "total control” of Iranian oil and gas markets, comparing it to the situation in Venezuela after the ouster of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Trump did not say what the timeline for such an operation would be, nor what type of force would be required to execute such a mission that would see the U.S. taking and holding Iranian territory and infrastructure.

The president’s post comes after days of tit-for-tat strikes between the U.S. and Iran, which have raised the specter of a return to all-out war amid questions about the status of the shaky, months-long ceasefire.

CENTCOM says it disabled oil tanker in Gulf of Oman on Wednesday

U.S. Central Command said in a post to X that its forces attacked the Guinea-Bissau flagged M/T Jalveer oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, alleging that it "violated the blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil."

"A U.S. aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship's engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces," CENTCOM said.

The vessel is the third commercial ship disabled by American forces this week, CENTCOM said.

Earlier this week, CENTCOM said that U.S. aircraft disabled Palau-flagged vessels M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, both of which were accused of violating the U.S. blockade.

CENTCOM said its forces have disabled nine "non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that complied and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13."

UKMTO reports new maritime incident off Omani coast

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre said on Thursday that a fire had been reported in the engine room of a tanker off the coast of Oman.

Local authorities reported the incident occurred about 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, Oman, the UKMTO warning said. There were no reports of casualties or environmental damage.

The latest maritime incident comes one day after three Indian sailors aboard the M/T Settebello oil tanker were killed by a U.S. strike.

U.S. Central Command said the Palau-flagged vessel violated its ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.

The U.S. fired precision munitions at the ship's engine room "after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces," CENTCOM said in a post to X.

Sarbananda Sonowal, India's shipping minister, confirmed the "deeply unfortunate" incident in a post to X and said that the bodies of the three seafarers were recovered.

No major damage at US bases after overnight strikes, official says

A U.S. official told ABC News on Thursday that initial assessments indicated that the U.S. intercepted nearly all missiles and drones launched by Iran on Wednesday night. The assessments are ongoing, the official said.

There have been no reports of harm to any U.S. personnel or major damage at U.S. bases, the official said.

Iranian body says Strait of Hormuz 'completely closed' following latest strikes

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) -- a newly created Iranian entity set up to manage shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and charge fees for vessels transiting the waterway -- said in a post on X on Friday that the Strait would be closed "until further notice."

The PGSA's announcement comes after U.S. Central Command denied reports of the Strait's closure overnight.

The PGSA cited "tensions caused by the aggressive U.S. forces" and an announcement by the Iranian armed forces for the decision to close the waterway. It asked "applicants who have obtained transit permits to remain patient and await further notice."