US strikes Iran over alleged attacks on commercial vessels, Tehran responds

TEHRAN: The US military has claimed that it has launched a series of air strikes against Iran in response to alleged Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation was carried out to protect commercial shipping and force Iran to pay a “heavy price,” while Iranian media reported attacks on several locations in southern Iran.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed that the US military has hit more than 80 targets with advanced weapons in the latest operations against Iran.

According to US officials, the attacks targeted Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks and naval missile capabilities.

According to CENTCOM, US forces attacked Iran’s air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar installations and ship-to-ship missile capabilities.

The US military statement said that more than 60 small boats of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in and around the Strait of Hormuz were also targeted. According to US officials, the operation aimed to weaken Iran’s ability to disrupt international shipping lanes.

On the other hand, Iranian media reported that at least six missiles or other weapons landed in the Taheroui pier area in the southern Iranian city of Sirik, but Iranian officials did not immediately release details of casualties or damage.

According to foreign media, this is the first known US military action against Iran after days of attacks and counterattacks between the US and Iran last month.

On the other hand, Al Jazeera reported, citing Iranian state media, that several explosions have occurred in key strategic areas in southern Iran, including the port city of Sirik, Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Kharg Island. Iranian officials described the attacks as aggression and indicated a response.

The ‘most attacks’ targeted civilian areas, while an attack on the commercial port of Sirik left several people injured by shrapnel.

Iran Announces Targeting of 85 US installations in Bahrain and Kuwait

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Wednesday that its naval and air forces had targeted several US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones in response to US attacks.

In a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the Revolutionary Guards said that a joint missile and drone operation was carried out as an initial response to the US aggression, targeting 85 key US military facilities in both countries.

According to the IRGC, the attacks targeted the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain and the Ali al-Salem air base in Kuwait.

Iranian military officials said that the operation was carried out in response to the US’s alleged violation of the ceasefire and the Islamabad agreement. According to Iran, the US had previously carried out airstrikes on military bases and civilian installations in the coastal areas of Hormozgan and Mahshahr.

Kuwait Announces Confrontation of Missile and Drone Attacks

On the other hand, the Kuwaiti army has said that the country is facing “missile and drone attacks from the enemy” and defensive operations are underway in response to them.

The Kuwaiti army’s statement appealed to the public to follow the safety instructions issued by the security agencies.

Kuwaiti officials confirmed that the sounds of explosions heard in different parts of the country were the result of the defense system successfully intercepting the attacks.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) has claimed that its air defense system has shot down a US MQ-9 drone in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said that the air defense system targeted and destroyed the US drone near the Khormoj area of ​​Bushehr.

Iranian officials say they will not accept any external interference in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian statement said that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers will be the one designated by Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important sea lanes, through which a large amount of oil is transported globally. The recent tensions have raised global concerns about the security of this vital shipping route.

However, there was no immediate response from US officials to the Iranian claims, while the statements from both countries could not be fully confirmed by independent sources.