Iran President Declares Full-Scale War with United States Amid Expanded Strikes

Iran's president announced on Monday that the Islamic Republic is engaged in a full-scale war with the United States, following a series of expanded U.S. strikes across the country. The statement came after state media reported attacks in Iran's northern and central regions.

The Revolutionary Guards said they hit targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Kuwait, while Iran reimposed a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after a truce signed in June collapsed. In response, U.S. Central Command reported completing its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian positions.

Houthi rebels in Yemen, Iran's allies, threatened to block Saudi ports, raising concerns about further disruptions to oil exports through the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia continues to ship oil via the Yanbu port, though at reduced volumes.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on the international community to share the burden of protecting global shipping and said the United States would keep pursuing diplomatic solutions.

The latest fighting follows reports of three U.S. military fatalities and one service member missing in action after Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan and Iraq. Iran's health ministry said 50 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in recent clashes.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that diplomatic exchanges with the United States via mediators were ongoing, and Iran's interior minister was scheduled to travel to Pakistan for talks.

"The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war," the president said in a presidency statement.

"Ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators," Baqaei told a news conference in Tehran.

Regional authorities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan reported air raid sirens and missile attacks, urging residents to seek safety.