WASHINGTON: The United States military says it has completed a fresh round of retaliatory strikes against Iran, targeting more than 80 military sites in response to what Washington described as Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation was carried out on July 7 and involved precision-guided munitions aimed at degrading Iran’s capability to threaten international shipping through one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 8, 2026
According to CENTCOM, the strikes hit a wide range of Iranian military assets, including air defence systems, command and control facilities, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile positions and more than 60 small boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military alleged that Iran had recently attacked three commercial vessels navigating the strategic waterway. CENTCOM identified the ships as the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and the Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity.
Washington described the alleged attacks as an “unwarranted” act of aggression and accused Tehran of violating the ceasefire, saying the incidents posed a threat to freedom of navigation and international maritime commerce.
CENTCOM said the military operation was intended to reduce Iran’s capacity to conduct further attacks on commercial shipping and reaffirmed that US forces remain prepared to respond to any future breaches of the ceasefire.
“US forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed,” the command said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global shipping route through which a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes each day. Any disruption in the waterway is closely watched by governments and energy markets due to its potential impact on global trade and energy supplies.
Iran had not immediately commented on the latest US claims or the reported strikes at the time of publication.
