US forces launch fresh strikes on Iranian military targets after restoring a naval blockade, as Tehran threatens regional energy exports and tensions grip the Strait of Hormuz, reports Asian Lite News Desk
The United States carried out a new round of military strikes against Iran on Wednesday after reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports, further escalating tensions in the Gulf as Tehran warned it could target more regional energy export routes.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched a series of precision strikes against Iranian military positions during a 90-minute operation early on Wednesday. According to the military, the attacks targeted coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch facilities on Greater Tunb Island, a strategically located island near the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement posted on social media, CENTCOM said the operation was aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to launch attacks on commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes for oil and natural gas exports.
The latest action follows Washington’s decision to reimpose a naval blockade on Iranian ports after accusing Tehran of attacking commercial shipping in the Gulf. US officials say Iranian forces have targeted seven merchant vessels over the past week, leaving several crew members dead, injured or missing.
Late on Tuesday, the US military said it had struck dozens of military sites along Iran’s coastline and near the Strait of Hormuz during a seven-hour campaign, marking one of the largest operations since the latest conflict began.
Iran responded on Wednesday by claiming it had launched attacks on US military positions across the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its missiles and drones had targeted American facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
Tehran also warned that if military pressure continues, it could close additional regional energy export corridors used by the United States and its allies, raising fresh concerns over global oil supplies.
The confrontation centres on the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments normally pass. The waterway has become the focal point of the conflict as both countries seek to assert control over one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.
