The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday that it had carried out a new round of strikes against Iran, as part of efforts to undermine its military capabilities that it uses to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the strikes targeted Iranian military command centers, missile and drone launch sites, as well as air defense facilities, stressing that the goal was to limit Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels.
The Central Command added that commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues, noting that since the beginning of May, US forces have helped secure the passage of about 900 commercial vessels and the transfer of about 450 million barrels of oil.
The US military announced on Monday night/Tuesday morning that it had carried out attacks on Iran for the tenth consecutive night in an attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Iranian media reported hearing explosions in the city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in Hormozgan province, in addition to activating air defenses around the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
In response, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that two oil tankers caught fire as a result of explosions that occurred while they were trying to cross the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the strait will remain closed as long as US operations continue in the region.
In a separate statement, the Revolutionary Guard said it targeted US military systems in Bahrain, including a radar and air defense system in Muharraq, as well as a Patriot system in Riffa, through a missile and drone attack.
Amid the escalating confrontation, the US State Department issued a “worldwide warning” to American citizens due to the rising level of tension in the Middle East.
