The United States military has carried out a new wave of retaliatory strikes against more than 80 Iranian targets following attacks on commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted a range of Iranian military assets, including air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 small boats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in and around the strategic waterway.
The strikes, announced late Tuesday, were described by CENTCOM as a direct response to what it said were Iranian attacks on international commercial shipping.
CENTCOM said the operation was conducted “as an immediate response” and was designed to reduce “Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce.”
The command further stated that US forces “remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the (ceasefire) agreement is not adhered to or obeyed.”
Iranian state media reported explosions across several parts of southern Iran early Wednesday following the US military action.
Meanwhile, Qatar summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador to formally protest an attack involving a Qatari-owned vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran denied responsibility for the incident, arguing that ships travelling through the area without coordination “expose themselves to risks.”
