The US Army said Thursday evening it has launched a fifth consecutive night of strikes on Iran. Unlike previous announcements, the statement did not mention the Strait of Hormuz as the objective, instead vowing to 'continue to harm Iran's military capabilities' — a shift analysts say indicates the campaign is broadening beyond protecting maritime traffic.
The US Army's official statement at 21:46 Jerusalem time on Thursday night omitted any mention of the Strait of Hormuz, marking a clear departure from the language used in the first four nights of strikes. Instead, the Pentagon said the operation aims to 'continue to harm Iran's military capabilities' — a shift that analysts say signals the campaign is broadening beyond protecting maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.
The Zioneer first reported at 21:25 Jerusalem that a fifth consecutive night of strikes was underway, based on an unconfirmed report. Within minutes, CENTCOM confirmed the strikes and noted that the first wave was not tied to the Strait of Hormuz, and a subsequent bulletin indicated the wording suggested a broader campaign. At 21:38, an Iranian source reported a new wave of strikes, claiming a higher death toll than officially acknowledged. At 21:44, The Zioneer confirmed the official announcement from the US Army, with wording that hinted at an expansion. The full statement, published at 21:46, explicitly omitted the Strait of Hormuz.
The campaign began on Sunday, July 12, with nightly strikes on Iranian naval and coastal infrastructure. On Tuesday, CENTCOM reported the first-ever use of unmanned attack drones and vessels by US forces against Iran. The Strait of Hormuz had been the stated focus of the operation in all previous announcements, as The Zioneer reported. The omission of the waterway from the latest statement marks a significant expansion of the stated objectives.
The Pentagon has not provided a new rationale for the expanded campaign or specified its duration. It remains unclear whether strikes will extend beyond Iran's southern coast.
6 developments
- StrongUS military announces new wave of strikes against Iranian forces in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingUS official: last night's strikes more powerful than previous days, hundreds of targets remain along Strait of Hormuz
- StrongUS launches fourth wave of airstrikes on Iran, striking deeper targets including Dezful and Kermanshah
- DevelopingUS launching widespread airstrikes across all of Iran
Source and signal
- Internal intake