US Strikes 90 Targets in Iran, Trump Claims 'Denuclearisation'

The United States military has launched a second consecutive wave of airstrikes into Iranian territory. US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed it struck approximately 90 targets in the latest operation. Through a compilation video of the strikes posted on social media platform X, Centcom stated the operation aims to pressure Iran’s military power along the strategic maritime route. ‘The objective is to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz,’ the official Centcom statement read. The strikes targeted military infrastructure along the Iranian coastline, including air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage facilities, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure. Centcom added that the operation was a continuation of a successful offensive conducted the previous night. The impact of the strikes has spread to surrounding areas. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported that danger sirens were activated in the country. Bahraini authorities urged citizens and residents to remain calm and proceed to the nearest safe location. For the first time since the conflict erupted, the southeastern port city of Chabahar was targeted. According to photo and video verification by the BBC, a maritime traffic control tower in the city appeared to have suffered severe damage. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported around ten explosions in the Chabahar and Konarak areas, adding that electricity was cut off in parts of Chabahar. Tasnim also reported that US fighter jets bombed the Imam Ali base belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy in Chabahar. Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump downplayed the scale of the conflict. ‘It’s not really a war. It’s a denuclearisation of Iran. Denuclearisation of Iran,’ Trump said. ‘So it’s all about taking the nuclear weapons, not allowing them to have nuclear weapons. And everybody should like that.’ Trump also repeated his claim of having ended eight wars during his presidency. When asked if the US would return to full-scale military conflict, he replied, ‘I don’t know, but we’re going to win it very quickly.’ He further claimed the US had ‘won militarily’ and said Iran was now in a weak position and eager to make a political deal. ‘They called a little while ago, they want to make a deal very badly, I just don’t know if they deserve to make a deal,’ Trump said. ‘I don’t know if they’re going to honour the deal, that’s the problem.’