UNIPA News(Tehran) 08 July- The United States launched large-scale military strikes on Iran early Wednesday, targeting more than 80 sites in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). The operation prompted heightened regional security measures, with Bahrain sounding missile alert sirens and Kuwait activating its air defence systems.
CENTCOM said the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 small boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military stated that the operation was intended to impose “heavy costs” on Iran for targeting commercial shipping in an international waterway. It added that the latest round of strikes had concluded but warned that US forces remain prepared to respond if Iran fails to adhere to the existing ceasefire framework.
Following the strikes, Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, activated missile warning sirens. Kuwait’s armed forces also announced that its air defence systems were intercepting what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks. Authorities did not specify the origin of the incoming threats.
Iran condemned the US operation and warned of retaliation. The Foreign Ministry accused Washington of repeatedly violating the memorandum of understanding reached between the two sides and said Iran would take “whatever measures it deems necessary.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that the country would not yield to pressure, while Iran’s central military command vowed a decisive response to what it described as an act of aggression. The command also reaffirmed that Iran would not permit outside interference in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Sirik following the US strikes.
The escalation follows Iranian attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. According to maritime authorities, one tanker caught fire after being struck off the coast of Oman, while two other vessels sustained limited damage. No casualties were reported, and the affected ships continued their voyages.
The latest confrontation marks another escalation in tensions surrounding the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy shipping route, raising renewed concerns over regional security and the stability of international maritime trade.
