SRINAGAR: The US military conducted strikes on Monday in southern Iran, targeting locations it said included boats allegedly involved in laying naval mines as well as missile launch sites, describing the action as defensive in nature, according to BBC news.
US Central Command said in a statement that the action was intended “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.” In a separate post, CENTCOM added that it “continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
According to Fox News, citing a senior US official, two Iranian vessels were observed laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which prompted the response. The same official said US forces also acted after a missile site allegedly targeted American warplanes operating in the region.
The official, as reported by Fox News, confirmed that a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site in Bandar Abbas was struck after Iranian media reported explosions in the city. Additional blasts were also reported near Sirik and Jask, both located close to the strategic waterway.
The US official told Fox News the strikes were “defensive,” while two additional sources told the outlet that the action does not indicate the end of the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Fox News further reported that explosions were heard across several areas around the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
The official added that the US military operation was “over for now.”
The strikes come amid a fragile ceasefire that began on April 8, as reported in US media coverage, while Washington and Tehran continue efforts to stabilise tensions in a conflict that has disrupted global energy routes and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
