U.S. Central Command said American forces carried out another wave of strikes on Iran after Tehran attacked commercial vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. The latest operation was described as an effort to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten shipping in the waterway.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes hit about 90 Iranian military targets along the country’s coastline. The list included air defense systems, coastal surveillance equipment, missile and drone storage facilities, naval assets and military logistics infrastructure. The new attacks came after an earlier round on July 7 that targeted about 80 sites, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats.
Iran has responded by targeting U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, while the U.S. has also revoked a sanctions waiver tied to Iranian oil sales that was part of a temporary ceasefire arrangement reached last month. The Strait of Hormuz has remained the central flashpoint in the conflict because of its importance to international energy traffic and Iran’s ability to disrupt passage through it.
Trump says ceasefire is over
President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was “over” after the renewed violence and suggested he may no longer want to try to reach a deal. Speaking in Ankara during a NATO summit, he said he was “not sure” he wanted to make an agreement and added that the U.S. may need to “finish the job.” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, accused the U.S. of violating the terms of the arrangement.
Source: cnbc.com
