The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck more than 80 targets during its latest round of military operations against Iran, describing the attacks as an effort to reduce Tehran’s ability to threaten international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a CENTCOM statement, US forces targeted Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar installations and anti-ship missile capabilities. The operation also struck more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said the strikes were intended to degrade Iran’s capacity to conduct further attacks on commercial vessels using one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes. Officials linked the operation to recent attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington says threatened freedom of navigation and international commerce.
The latest strikes mark another escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, coming shortly after the United States revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed Iran to continue limited oil exports.
US officials have maintained that negotiations with Iran remain ongoing despite the renewed military action, while Iranian authorities have condemned the strikes and warned of retaliation.
