US military launches another round of strikes against Iran targets
Fresh US strikes aim to curb Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels and allies
The US Central Command (CentCom) said its forces launched a fresh wave of precision strikes beginning at 5 pm ET on Sunday (2 am Gulf time on Monday, July 13), targeting Iranian military assets used to threaten commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
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The operation focused on facilities linked to anti-ship missile systems, drones, fast-attack craft and other military infrastructure that US officials said had been used in recent attacks on merchant vessels.
President Donald Trump said the strikes were intended to "hold Iranian forces accountable" and further degrade Tehran's ability to attack civilian vessels.
CentCom said the operation was intended to safeguard freedom of navigation after Iran's latest attacks on commercial shipping escalated tensions in the Gulf.
The latest strikes follow several rounds of US attacks over the past week.
CentCom said previous operations had targeted hundreds of Iranian military sites, including missile launchers, drone facilities, radar systems and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval assets, in an effort to weaken Iran's capacity to disrupt international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian attacks
Iranian attacks, meanwhile, have expanded beyond the strait.
Tehran has earlier responded with missile and drone attacks against US interests and partner countries across the Gulf, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman, marking one of the broadest regional escalations since the conflict began.
On Monday, US airstrikes have reportedly hit the Aghajari Airport in Omidiyeh, Iran.
Targets in almost all cities in Khuzestan Province have been struck in the past three hours after a US official told the New York Times to expect a "bigger wave" of US attacks against Iran overnight on Sunday (Monday in the Gulf) than previous days.
The US Central Command strikes across Iran have been continuous for hours now, with one campaign focused on Khuzestan Province, Iran's main oil region.
Aghajari Airport serves the oil and gas industry in the capital of Central District, in Omidiyeh County, Khuzestan Province, Iran.
