Major US strike on Iran amid Hormuz tensions, targeting 140 military installations

The United States has launched its third military operation against Iran in a week. The US military's Central Command claims that about 140 Iranian military installations were hit in the latest operation. They also said that this operation was much larger than the previous two.

According to the US, the new operation was carried out in response to an attack by Iranian forces on a Cyprus-flagged commercial ship sailing in the Strait of Hormuz. US authorities said the ship's engine room was damaged and one crew member is missing. On the other hand, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed that the ship was being monitored as a precaution after it disobeyed orders and sailed without authorization.

The US Central Command said the strikes targeted missile and drone launch sites, ammunition depots, communications systems, surveillance radars and other military infrastructure. The US said more than 300 Iranian sites were targeted in the three-night operation, which was aimed at disrupting the country's ability to attack civilian and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media reported explosions in several port cities and the south of the country. Attacks were also reported in the coastal cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik. However, full details of the damage or casualties in various locations could not be independently verified.

Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice. However, the US said commercial shipping was still allowed to pass through with US assistance. The conflicting claims by both sides have created uncertainty about the true status of the vital waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important routes for transporting energy. Before the recent conflict, about a fifth of the world's commercially transported oil and liquefied natural gas passed through this route. As a result, prolonged military tensions there could create new pressures on international energy markets and commodity transport.

Meanwhile, the security situation in the Gulf region has become more complicated due to the reciprocal attacks of Iran and the United States. Iran has also claimed to have struck US military installations in several countries, including Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman. All of these claims could not be independently verified.

Source: Reuters/Associated Press