The United States has resumed daylight strikes on Iran, targeting coastal defenses and missile sites, amid rising tensions over a renewed US blockade threat and the Strait of Hormuz dispute.

Tehran has reported casualties as a result of the strikes, according to officials, as the Iranian military and government officials vowed to defend their territory against any aggression.

US Central Command said in a statement on Tuesday that its forces had launched a series of daylight strikes on Iranian targets, including coastal defenses and missile sites, in response to a renewed threat by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

The US move comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated in recent weeks, with calls for retaliation against Iranian interests by US officials.

Iran has long claimed sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, and has threatened to block it in response to US sanctions and other provocations.

But experts warn that a blockade of the strait could have catastrophic consequences for global oil markets, potentially leading to a significant spike in fuel prices and crippling the economies of countries that rely heavily on imported oil.

US officials have repeatedly stated that the US military has a duty to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran has accused the US of aggression and warned that it will retaliate if necessary.

The renewed US strike on Iran marks a significant escalation of tensions between the two countries, which have been engaged in a cycle of aggression and retaliation since 2019.