The US military stated that Iranian forces struck seven commercial vessels over the past week, killing and wounding crew members. The announcement follows an earlier statement by the CENTCOM commander that the same number of ships were attacked, though casualty figures differed between reports.
The US Army has officially confirmed that Iranian forces attacked seven merchant ships over the past week, with crew members killed and wounded. The statement, issued late Wednesday Jerusalem time, backs the earlier account from CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper but does not specify the number of casualties.
At 02:20 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported Cooper's initial statement that Iran deliberately struck seven commercial vessels, leaving approximately 10 crew members killed, wounded, or missing. In a subsequent update (also at 02:20 Jerusalem), the toll was revised to 12, and it was added that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf countries. The new US Army announcement confirms the attacks and the fact of casualties but does not resolve the discrepancy between the two figures.
The attacks on merchant ships are part of a broader escalation. As The Zioneer reported, the US has conducted sustained strikes on Iranian military targets, including IRGC naval assets and air defenses, with Iran's Health Ministry reporting 14 killed and 78 wounded across five provinces. Iran has also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz.
The exact number of casualties from the merchant ship attacks remains unclear. The US Army statement does not provide a specific toll, and the earlier reports of 10 and 12 casualties have not been reconciled.
4 developments
- DevelopingIran Claims US Targeted Its Ships; Disagreements Persist in Talks
- StrongUS strikes targeted five Iranian provinces, Health Ministry says, confirming 14 dead, 78 wounded
- StrongCENTCOM issues fresh denial: Iran's claim of attacking U.S. Navy ships is false
- DevelopingIranian news agency: US strikes hit 7 sites on Iran's southern coast
Source and signal
- Internal intake