The US Central Command said Sunday morning it has begun the third round of strikes against Iran this week, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the Cypriot-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, disabling it and leaving one civilian crew member missing.
US Central Command announced Sunday morning (07:54 Jerusalem) that it has begun the third round of strikes against Iran this week, in response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attack on the Cypriot-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack left one civilian crew member missing and the vessel disabled, according to the statement.
The Zioneer first reported the launch of the third round of strikes at 02:54 Jerusalem, and at 02:59 that CENTCOM had completed strikes on over 140 targets. A bulletin at 06:35 Jerusalem covered the strikes and the response from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said Iran was 'now paying.' The thread of reports shows a rapid escalation: an initial confirmation from a senior US official at 02:42 Jerusalem was followed within the hour by reports of 140 targets struck, updates to 'around 140', and a final confirmation that the third round had been completed, with over 300 targets hit this week. The current CENTCOM statement provides the official trigger for the operation.
The strikes are part of the broader US campaign against Iranian maritime aggression in the Strait of Hormuz. As The Zioneer reported on June 10, CENTCOM struck an oil tanker attempting to break the blockade. On June 25, US officials said the IRGC attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel. The current operation follows the attack on the GFS Galaxy, which the IRGC disabled with fire and engine damage.
It remains unclear whether the third round of strikes is ongoing or concluded, as CENTCOM's statement says it has 'begun,' while earlier reports indicated completion. The fate of the missing crew member from the GFS Galaxy has not been disclosed.
9 developments
- StrongUS military says it struck 140 targets in Iran overnight
- StrongCENTCOM announces new wave of strikes across Iran after drone hits oil tanker
- DevelopingCENTCOM confirms US strikes on 10 Iranian targets near Strait of Hormuz; IRGC retaliates with missiles and drones toward Bahrain and Kuwait
- StrongCENTCOM completes additional precision strikes across Iran
Source and signal
- Internal intake