The U.S. military hit targets in Iran on Tuesday and Tehran fired missiles and drones at various sites across the region in response as hostilities flare once again in an intermittent war that has lasted more than six months.

The U.S. launched new air strikes on Iranian targets on ‌Tuesday, in a move that threatened to reignite the six-month-old conflict that has driven global energy prices higher and weighed heavily on U.

Trump asking when Iranians will “rise up and fight" revives questions over whether the administration’s Iran strategy is shifting beyond economic pressure and negotiations

The strikes follow attacks against commercial shipping and service members.

Iran and its Arab neighbours were plunged back into war on Wednesday by the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July, with U.S. forces striking Iran's southern coast and Iran firing at American bases across the region.

Stocks fell on Monday after the U.S. and Iran traded fire for the first time in a month, though the major averages still closed out August with gains.

Vladimir Putin declared full solidarity with Iran as an expert said both nations "need each other desperately" during the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict.

The embassies warned Americans of "unforeseen escalation" and travel disruptions as fighting between the U.S. and Iran resumed.