Washington, July 15: The United States carried out another round of military strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran’s coastline, targeting missile and drone sites, naval assets and coastal defence systems, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday.
According to CENTCOM, the seven-hour operation concluded at 10 p.m. ET on July 14, with US fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels launching precision strikes against multiple Iranian military installations. The command said the operation was aimed at reducing Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian maritime traffic in the region.
CENTCOM also said the strikes coincided with the resumption of a US naval blockade on vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade came into effect at 4 p.m. ET on July 14. The command stated that US forces remain prepared to carry out further operations if directed.
Meanwhile, Iran claimed it launched drone attacks on the Al-Azraq military base in Jordan as part of the seventh phase of its “Operation Lightning.” In a statement carried by state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the Iranian military said the operation targeted facilities housing F-18 fighter jets, accommodation buildings and an equipment storage shed used by US forces.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned that the United States would expand its military campaign against Iran unless Tehran returned to negotiations. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the US would continue strikes in the coming days and could target Iranian power plants and bridges if no agreement was reached.
The latest developments come as US military operations against Iran entered a fourth consecutive day following the collapse of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending hostilities in West Asia.
Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait under the third phase of “Operation Nasr 2.” According to an IRGC statement broadcast by IRIB, the operation targeted weapons storage facilities and sections of US military assets at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, as well as the MQ-9 drone deployment area at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
The IRGC said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for earlier US strikes on Iranian coastal military positions. The claims made by Iran regarding the attacks have not been independently verified.