The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on July 8 that its forces have begun launching strikes against Iran in response to attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the command said that the “powerful strikes” are meant to “impose heavy costs” on the Islamic Republic “for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”
“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” CENTCOM added.
A U.S. official later told Reuters that the strikes hit Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites.
Iran’s state-run TV reported that at least ten explosions were heard in areas west and east of the port city of Bandar Abbas in the southern province of Hormozgan, with several more explosions heard from the sea.
The report said no explosions were heard inside the city itself, but blasts were still being heard in Sirik County, also located in Hormozgan. It also said that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, adding that it was unclear what targets had been hit.
Over the past 24 hours, Iran was accused of attacking three commercial vessels, including a Qatari liquified natural gas tankers and a Saudi oil supertanker, close to the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels were reportedly passing through the Strait’s Omani route, which the Islamic Republic previously warned against using.
The U.S. revoked a general license that authorized the sale of Iranian oil in an initial response to the attacks near the strategic waterway.
The U.S. agreed to temporarily lift the sanctions as a part of the memorandum of understanding to end the war which was signed earlier that month. Under the deal, Iran also agreed to guarantee the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a U.S. official cited by The New York Times, the ongoing wave of strikes against Iran is expected to continue, focusing on a series of military targets.
Iran will certainly respond, although this may not happen immediately so as not to disturb the funeral of late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, which is entering its final day.
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