UNIPA News (Tehran) 12 July-The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the completion of its latest military operation against Iran, stating that US forces struck approximately 140 military targets in a campaign aimed at reducing threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the operation involved precision strikes carried out by fighter aircraft operating from land and maritime bases, alongside unmanned systems and naval assets. The targets reportedly included Iranian missile and drone facilities, naval capabilities, ammunition storage sites, communications networks, and coastal surveillance installations.

According to CENTCOM, more than 300 sites were targeted over three nights of operations under the direction of the US Commander-in-Chief. The command said the objective was to degrade Iran’s capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels navigating the strategically important waterway.

CENTCOM emphasized that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues despite the escalation, describing the route as a critical international maritime corridor. It added that US forces have assisted the safe transit of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying an estimated 400 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May.

The military operation followed what Washington described as an Iranian attack on the Cyprus-flagged container vessel GF Galaxy while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the incident resulted in the death of one civilian crew member and caused significant damage to the vessel, including a fire and damage to its engine room.

The command further stated that Iran had failed to demonstrate compliance with maritime security commitments following previous incidents involving commercial shipping, adding that the United States would continue operations intended to deter threats against civilian vessels.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran was facing the consequences of what he described as a “bad choice,” reiterating Washington’s position that attacks on commercial shipping would not go unanswered.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations across southern Iran, including Bandar Abbas and Minab in Hormozgan Province, as well as Dayyer, Kangan, Bushehr, and Asaluyeh. Iranian authorities had not released an official assessment of the reported strikes at the time of reporting.

Independent verification of battlefield developments remains limited, and Iran has not publicly responded in detail to CENTCOM’s claims regarding the scope or impact of the operation.

The latest escalation underscores continued tensions between Washington and Tehran and has renewed concerns over the security of international maritime routes and regional stability in the Gulf.