Washington DC [US], July 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress that military action against Iran resumed last week, marking the end of a months-long ceasefire, CBS News reported, citing a letter.According to CBS News, in a letter dated July 10 and addressed to Senate President pro tempore Senator Chuck Grassley, Trump said military action against Iran “commenced on July 7.”The notification came after Trump declared the US-Iran ceasefire “over” and ordered multiple rounds of strikes on Iranian targets in response to Tehran’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has maintained that ships must obtain permission and use an Iranian-approved route before transiting the strategic waterway, and responded to the US strikes by launching missiles and drones at US-allied Gulf states, CBS News reported.In the letter, Trump described the latest military operation as “limited, measured, planned, and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties.” He said the objective of the strikes was to target Iranian military sites that pose a threat to US forces and commercial shipping.As reported by CBS News, the notification was submitted in accordance with the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires the US President to notify Congress within 48 hours of the commencement of military hostilities.The report noted that the Trump administration had earlier informed Congress that hostilities had ended after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in early April following the conflict that began in late February.According to the letter cited by CBS News, Trump said the United States had undertaken “productive, good-faith efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran’s malign behaviour,” culminating in a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries last month.However, he said Iran violated the agreement after attacking three oil tankers early last week, breaching a provision requiring Tehran to ensure the safe transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed US military action.”United States Armed Forces remain postured to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats and attacks upon the United States or its allies and partners and to ensure the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ceases being a threat to the United States and to our allies and partners,” the letter said, as quoted by CBS News.This development comes after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces will reimpose a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz targeting Iran, while allowing vessels from other nations to continue transiting through the strategic waterway.Speaking to reporters after signing an Executive Order, Trump said the blockade would apply only to Iran and those doing business with Tehran.”We’re hitting them (Iran) very heavy tonight… We have tremendous amounts of ammunition. We’re hitting them very hard, and it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens. We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability, and we’re controlling the strait (Strait of Hormuz). We’re putting the blockade back. It’s a blockade, not for anybody but Iran. In other words, anybody doing business with Iran can’t go through. Everyone else will be able to go through… The blockade is probably more effective even than hitting them. But I think the combination is the thing that really does it,” Trump said.The US President claimed that American military operations have significantly degraded Iran’s military capabilities, including its navy, air force, missile and drone production.The US President further said military operations against Iran would continue.”We’re doing another very major attack tonight (on Iran). They want to make a deal. They came back. We made a deal two days ago… They’ve been negotiating for 47 years, but nobody’s ever hit them militarily. We’re hitting them very hard,” Trump said.The latest development follows renewed hostilities between the US and Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) closed the Strait of Hormuz, which triggered American retaliatory strikes on 140 locations across Iran.Meanwhile, initiating a fresh wave of military operations, US Central Command (CENTCOM) began its third consecutive night of strikes against Iran at the direction of the Commander-in-Chief.In a post on X, CENTCOM stated that these strikes aim to impose a high cost on Iranian forces and degrade their capability to target civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Concurrently, the United States announced that it will resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting Tuesday evening.Earlier on Jattvibeday, President Trump stated that the United States is “reinstating” the Iranian blockade and announced that the US will charge a 20 per cent fee to provide security in the strategic shipping gateway. In his social media posts, Trump assured that international maritime traffic through the critical shipping lane would remain open to the rest of the world despite escalating regional tensions.Trump defended the 20 per cent levy on transiting cargo, claiming it is a necessary measure to cover the operational expenses of securing the volatile shipping lane.In response, Iran issued a stern warning against the US deployment, reaffirming its authority over the Strait of Hormuz and dismissing Washington’s intervention in its management.According to Press TV, Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, affirmed that Tehran will not, “under any circumstances, allow the US to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.”He further vowed strong retaliation against any US military action involving the passage of commercial vessels and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz that takes place “outside Iran’s designated shipping route and without authorisation from Iran’s armed forces.” (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. 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