The US campaign targets bridges and transportation arteries leading to southern Iran and the Bandar Abbas area, with the stated goal of isolating the south and disrupting supplies to the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio).
New reporting from Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13/Army Radio) as of Saturday midday states that the US military's ongoing strikes on bridges and transportation arteries in southern Iran are aimed at isolating the southern region and disrupting supply routes to the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first explicit statement of the campaign's strategic goal since the strikes began.
The campaign against bridges escalated overnight. At 01:31 Jerusalem, unverified reports said three bridges were struck in Hormozgan province. The Zioneer tracked the reports as they developed: initial reports from a single source were followed by additional reports identifying the Rudkhaneh Shur Bridge and a bridge on the Minab–Rudan road as targets. By 07:56 Jerusalem, footage confirmed damage to the Bandar Abbas–Shiraz bridge, a key link between the port city and the interior. The broader campaign has included strikes on air defense systems, radar arrays, and power plants in recent weeks, as The Zioneer reported on June 11 and July 13–14.
The stated goal of isolating the south and disrupting Hormuz supplies aligns with earlier assessments. On July 17, The Zioneer published an analysis that the strikes aimed to cut off port access to the Strait of Hormuz. A tanker traffic jam was reported near a struck bridge in Bandar Abbas on July 17. Geopolitical commentator Majid Rajabi assessed on July 10 that the campaign aims to degrade IRGC control of the strait and potentially prepare for occupation of an Iranian island.
The extent of damage to the transportation network and the timeline of the campaign remain unconfirmed. The report on the strategic goal is from a single source, and independent verification is pending.
5 developments
- StrongAnalysis: US strikes on Iranian bridges aim to cut off Strait of Hormuz port access
- StrongAnalyst: US strikes in southern Iran aim to control Strait of Hormuz
- StrongAnalysis: US coastal strikes on Iran aim to disable Hormuz shipping threat
- DevelopingAnalyst: US strikes in southern Iran aim to pave way for occupation of Iranian island
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