TEHRAN, (PIC)
US forces launched a large-scale aggression on Iran, in a new escalation to which Iranian forces responded by targeting US military sites in the Gulf on Sunday.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of a new round of military strikes against Iranian targets, confirming the targeting of about 140 military sites inside Iran.
The US Central Command said, in a statement, that it ended at dawn Sunday the latest round of military operations against Iran, in response to what it described as Iranian attacks that targeted a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
It added that US forces used precision-guided munitions launched by jetfighters, drones, and warships to strike Iranian missile sites, drone facilities, naval capabilities, ammunition depots, communication networks, and coastal surveillance sites.
The statement explained that US forces targeted, during three nights, more than 300 targets inside Iran, within the framework of operations aiming to undermine Tehran’s capabilities to threaten commercial navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, pointing to the continuation of transit movement through the maritime corridor which it described as “vital for global trade.”
It also confirmed that US forces have contributed since early May to securing the passage of more than 800 commercial ships and about 40 million barrels of crude oil through the strait.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal quoted a high-ranking US official as saying that the new round of strikes came much wider in scope than the operations carried out during last week, whether in terms of the number of targets or the geographical areas they covered.
According to officials, the US military operations aim to send a clear message to Tehran that the United States will hold Iran responsible for any attacks targeting commercial ships and freedom of navigation in international sea lanes.
The US strikes came after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to navigation “until further notice,” considering that attempts by ships to cross through routes it described as unauthorized represent foreign interference in regulating navigation in the strait.
The Revolutionary Guard Navy confirmed, according to Iranian media, preventing the passage of ships in the strait until the end of what it described as US interferences in the region.
The Iranian Fars News Agency also reported that the naval forces of the Revolutionary Guard targeted a ship it considered violating the allowed lanes with a naval cruise missile after it ignored Iranian warnings.
Axios website quoted a US official as saying that the Revolutionary Guard fired a missile at a commercial cargo ship that was trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Later, the Revolutionary Guard accused the United States of trying to impose its will on the Sultanate of Oman by pushing ships to open a maritime route it described as illegal south of the Strait of Hormuz, confirming that this attempt was thwarted through what it called the “decisive response” of the Iranian naval forces.
Confirming the US attacks, Iranian television reported that US forces fired seven shells targeting military bases in Bushehr Governorate, five shells on the Dayyer area, and four shells on Assaluyeh.
Iranian television added that more than 10 explosions were monitored in the city of Jask in Hormozgan Governorate in the south of the country, in addition to two explosions in the vicinity of Chabahar.
It was also reported that five explosions were heard in the Dayyer area in Bushehr Governorate, five others in the city of Bandar Dayyer, four explosions in Assaluyeh, and three in the city of Bushehr during the past hour.
Iranian television mentioned that two explosions were heard in the Sirik area after projectiles fell on the hills of the coastal strip extending between Sirik and the village of Tahroui.
Mehr News Agency also mentioned that explosions resounded in Qeshm Island, amid indications of the expanding scope of the strikes to include several areas on the southern coast of Iran.
On the other hand, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the launch of attacks against US targets and bases in a number of countries in the region.
Iranian television quoted an army spokesman as saying that his country “will strongly defend its rights in the Strait of Hormuz,” holding Washington responsible for destabilizing the security of the region through its attempts to establish maritime corridors it described as illegal.
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and head of the negotiation team Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also said in a tweet on the X platform, following the Revolutionary Guard strikes, that “the era of unilateral deals has ended,” adding that Washington “either fulfills its promises or pays the price.”
In the details of the Iranian attacks, the Revolutionary Guard announced the targeting of Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, confirming the destruction of a command-and-control center and hangars for MQ9 drones using ballistic missiles.
It also announced the targeting of logistical support facilities and refueling platforms in the Port of Duqm in the Sultanate of Oman.
In Kuwait, the Iranian army said that it targeted US military facilities with drone systems, including air defense batteries, ammunition depots, and radar sites, while it also announced the execution of drone attacks targeting communication systems and radar sites belonging to the US army in Bahrain.
The Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the strikes came in response to what it described as US aggression on Iranian sites, warning that the continuation of US attacks will be met with harsher responses.
Iran had stressed during the past period the need to coordinate with it before ships cross the corridor located within its territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States rejected any arrangements granting Tehran a sole role in controlling navigation movement.
Recent developments put the future of the memorandum of understanding signed last month between Iran and the United States through Pakistani and Qatari mediation before a new test, as it stipulates reopening the strait and ensuring the safe passage of ships, at a time when both sides exchange accusations of breaching their commitments.