SRINAGAR: United States forces carried out a fresh round of military strikes against targets in Iran on Tuesday, marking the 11th consecutive night of operations, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate across the Gulf.
In a statement posted on X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began at 7 p.m. ET and were successfully completed by 8.15 p.m. ET. It said the operation targeted Iranian military operations centres, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage sites and military logistics infrastructure.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes are intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global maritime trade route.
The command alleged that Iran had attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the waterway over the past three months, saying the incidents had endangered civilian mariners and undermined freedom of navigation.
CENTCOM added that, despite the ongoing hostilities, the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping. It said its forces have helped facilitate the passage of around 900 commercial vessels transporting approximately 450 million barrels of crude oil since early May.
The latest US operation came after Iran announced missile and drone attacks on American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, describing the strikes as retaliation for recent US military action.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its aerospace forces targeted US air defence systems, radar installations, communications infrastructure and other military assets in Bahrain and Kuwait, along with US military facilities in Jordan, according to statements carried by the official Sepah News outlet.
Separately, Iran’s army said it had launched missile and drone strikes against several US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, including Camp Arifjan, Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base and Shaikh Isa Air Base.
