CENTCOM: US Completes New Wave of Strikes Against Iran

Istanbul (ANTARA) - The United States has completed a new wave of strikes against Iran, targeting dozens of military sites in an effort to weaken Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). In a statement reported by Anadolu on Monday, CENTCOM said the operation struck dozens of targets at multiple locations using precision-guided munitions as part of an effort to reduce Iran’s capability to threaten maritime traffic in the strategic waterway. According to CENTCOM, US forces targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using fighter aircraft, warships, one-way attack aerial drones, and, for the first time, one-way attack sea drones. “The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade. Iran does not control it,” CENTCOM said. CENTCOM added that US forces “remain postured and ready to ensure freedom of navigation is preserved for commercial vessels, despite Iran’s continued aggression, intimidation, threats, and baseless unilateral statements.” In June, Tehran and Washington signed a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding to end the war that broke out in late February and pave the way for a lasting peace agreement. The memorandum included an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, the lifting of the US naval blockade against Iran, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the two countries have exchanged attacks again this week over commercial shipping traffic in the Strait. The United States struck a number of targets in Iran, while Tehran retaliated by attacking US assets in various regions.