The United States has launched a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, describing the operation as retaliation for an attempted Iranian attack on American forces in the Middle East…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran in retaliation for what American officials described as an attempted Iranian attack on US forces in the Middle East, marking another escalation in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation began at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday and characterised the strikes as a direct response to Iran’s actions a day earlier.
“US forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The military action came less than 24 hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting US military positions in Jordan. According to US officials, the missiles were intercepted by air defence systems before causing any damage or casualties.
Earlier, President Donald Trump had warned that the United States would respond forcefully, saying Iran would be hit “very hard” following the attempted attack on American forces.
CENTCOM did not immediately disclose the locations targeted or the scale of the latest operation inside Iran.
Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard across several southern provinces, including Hormozgan and Khuzestan. Reports also said strikes occurred near oil infrastructure and on islands in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian officials said residential areas on Qeshm Island were damaged during the strikes, with emergency teams searching through rubble for people believed to be trapped.
The latest operation ended a brief pause in direct US military action against Iran, signalling a return to military confrontation despite diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a wider regional conflict.
The strikes followed Iran’s missile attack on US positions in Jordan, which Tehran said was carried out in response to what it described as “aggressive actions by the US military.” American officials maintained that the attempted strike had been successfully intercepted.
Separately, CENTCOM said it was continuing to increase maritime pressure on Iran through naval operations in the region.
“CENTCOM forces continue to strictly enforce the US blockade against Iran. As of July 29, CENTCOM has redirected 20 commercial vessels, disabled 2, and boarded 2,” the command said in a separate statement.
The US military said the maritime measures form part of a broader strategy combining military operations with economic and naval pressure on Tehran.
The latest exchange of strikes adds to mounting tensions between the United States and Iran, raising concerns over the potential for further escalation across the Middle East as both sides continue to exchange military action and sharp rhetoric.
