The United States military has carried out a sweeping series of strikes against Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz, following a missile attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that severely damaged a commercial cargo vessel.
U.S. Central Command reported that the Cyprus-flagged container ship sustained a fire and major damage to its engine room as a result of the Iranian missile strike, leaving the vessel unable to continue its journey. One civilian crew member is still unaccounted for.
In response to the attack, American forces hit approximately 140 Iranian targets using precision-guided weapons launched from aircraft, drones, and naval ships. Among the sites targeted were radar installations, facilities used to store missiles and drones, launch sites, and air-defense systems.
CENTCOM stated that the goal of the operation was to diminish Iran’s capacity to pose a threat to commercial vessels passing through one of the globe’s most vital maritime corridors.
The military exchange follows demands from the Trump administration that Iran ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Rather than comply, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared the waterway closed in the wake of the cargo ship incident, alleging the vessel had disregarded warnings to change course.
Iran has additionally fired drones and missiles toward Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan as part of its retaliatory actions.
Despite Iran’s claims that the strait is closed, President Trump and U.S. military officials maintain that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping traffic.
