Military exchanges intensify while prospects for diplomacy continue to fade
WASHINGTON: The United States launched another round of military strikes against Iran on Monday, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) saying the operation targeted Tehran’s military capabilities to prevent further attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the strikes began at 5 p.m. ET under the direction of President Donald Trump and involved fighter jets, warships, aerial drones and naval drones, marking the first operational use of naval drones in the campaign. The command said the operation aimed to hold Iranian forces accountable for what it described as continued threats against civilian mariners and international shipping.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade,” CENTCOM said, adding that the United States would continue safeguarding freedom of navigation despite Iranian actions in the region.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities reported casualties from the latest strikes. Khuzestan Deputy Governor Valiollah Hayati said one security guard was killed and four people were injured after a strike hit an agricultural water pumping station in Mahshahr County. The injured were transferred for medical treatment, while officials continued assessing the damage.
Iran reports expanded attacks across southern coast
The latest operation followed overnight statements from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which declared the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed after recent US military action. The IRGC also claimed its forces struck two vessels using the southern maritime route near Oman instead of Iran’s designated northern passage.
Additionally, Iranian officials said retaliatory operations targeted US interests in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar and Oman following the American strikes.
Diplomatic efforts face growing uncertainty
As military exchanges intensified, hopes for renewed diplomacy continued to diminish. CENTCOM stated that more than 300 military targets have been struck during three waves of operations, including coastal surveillance systems, missile sites, communications networks, logistics facilities, drone infrastructure and naval assets.
The campaign has concentrated on Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, including Bandar Abbas, Siri Island, Qeshm Island and Jask. Iranian officials said several port facilities, coastal control sites, fishing infrastructure and air defence positions were damaged, while reports indicated both military and civilian casualties. Authorities also confirmed strikes near Bushehr province, although they said Iran’s only nuclear power plant remained undamaged.
