The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran early Wednesday, targeting more than 80 sites in and around the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the attacks were a direct response to Iranian strikes on three commercial vessels in the critical shipping lane.
American forces hit Iranian air defense systems, radar installations, command and control networks, and over 60 small boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The strikes occurred as President Donald Trump attended a NATO summit in Turkey.
Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, activated its missile alert sirens following the American operation. Iran's foreign ministry accused the U.S. of violating a prior understanding and threatened retaliation. Iranian state media reported explosions in multiple coastal cities.
CENTCOM stated the operation was conducted to "impose heavy costs" for targeting innocent civilian crews and confirmed the strikes had concluded. The action escalates tensions in a region already on edge, following a similar series of retaliatory exchanges last month.