US launches new wave of strikes against Iran aimed at ‘degrading’ military
Sunday’s attacks follow three previous days of tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and US as a June ceasefire deal frays. The United States has announced another
Sunday’s attacks follow three previous days of tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and US as a June ceasefire deal frays. The United States has announced another round of early-morning strikes on Iran, as the two sides continue to exchange attacks over questions of control in the Strait of Hormuz. On Sunday, US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East region, indicated that the latest fusillade was designed to weaken Iran’s attack capabilities. It also underscored President Donald Trump’s role in authorising the attacks. “At 5 p.m. ET today [21:00 GMT], U.S. Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” the command said in a brief statement. “The Commander in Chief has directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable.” Iranian state media reported explosions in areas near the Strait of Hormuz, including Sirik, Qeshm Island, Jask, and the area west of Bandar Abbas. The governorate of Hormozgan province, which borders the strait, said that no civilian casualties have been reported so far. Sunday’s attacks are the latest round of a new escalation in the fighting between the US and Iran, which began on July 7. Three rounds of attacks occurred in the last week alone, including on Saturday night, when US Central Command said it struck roughly 140 Iranian military targets.
The targets reportedly included Iranian sites for drones, missiles, ammunition, surveillance and naval operations. Iran has responded with counterattacks against US military installations across the Middle East, including sites in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. The exchange of fire has deepened questions about a memorandum of understanding (MOU) the US and Iran signed last month, bringing all hostilities to an “immediate and permanent” halt. The memorandum was meant to be a springboard to future negotiations between the two sides as they attempted to wind down a war that the US and Israel started on February 28. But a key sticking point proved to be the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime artery through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas flowed before the war. Since the start of the war in February, fuel prices worldwide have shot up, as Iran has restricted trade through the waterway. Under the 14 points of the memorandum, Iran was meant to make its “best efforts” to allow commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, with no fees. The memorandum also laid out a plan for Iran to “conduct dialogue” with the other country that borders the strait, Oman, to “define future administration and maritime services” in the waterway.
The BriefWire