U.S. Central Command announced Sunday night that it had begun launching another wave of precision strikes against Iran, the fourth such operation this week, to degrade Tehran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes were ordered by the Commander in Chief, CENTCOM said, to 'hold Iranian forces accountable.'
The U.S. Central Command announced a fourth wave of precision strikes against Iran on Sunday night, beginning at midnight Jerusalem time, targeting Iranian capabilities that threaten civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation, which CENTCOM said was ordered by the Commander in Chief to 'hold Iranian forces accountable,' marks the fourth such U.S. campaign this week as military pressure on Tehran escalates.
The desk's initial reporting at 00:19 Jerusalem included an unverified report of a heavy explosion in the southern port city of Jask, followed within minutes by confirmation that the strikes were directed by the President and that CENTCOM Commander General Brad Cooper had authorized the operation. The current bulletin, based on U.S. and Israeli sources (including N13 and Army Radio journalists Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh), confirms the wave as the fourth of the week and adds that the strikes are targeting newly built Iranian infrastructure, including surveillance and drone storage sites.
The fourth wave comes after a third round of strikes overnight on July 12 that hit over 140 targets, as The Zioneer reported. The broader campaign, which began in late June, has progressively targeted Iranian missile and drone sites, command centers, and maritime infrastructure in response to repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
An unverified report of a heavy explosion in Jask, first carried by the desk at 00:19 Jerusalem, has not been independently confirmed by U.S. or Iranian authorities. It remains unclear whether the IRGC will mount a retaliatory response.
5 developments
- DevelopingUS strikes prioritize Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation, sources say
- DevelopingAnalyst: US strikes in southern Iran aim to pave way for occupation of Iranian island
- DevelopingIran Targets Hormuz Shipping to Enforce Protection Payments, The Zioneer Analysis Says
- ConfirmedUS targets around the Strait of Hormuz exposed to potential threats
Source and signal
- Internal intake