U.S. forces carry out 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out its 11th consecutive night of strikes against military targets in Iran on July 21, as Washington continues operations aimed at reducing what it describes as threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to CENTCOM, the latest operation concluded at 8:15 p.m. ET and targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure.
"The operation was intended to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said in a statement.
The U.S. military said Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway over the past three months. According to CENTCOM, the incidents have placed civilian mariners at risk and disrupted freedom of navigation.
The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation, the command said.
Despite the ongoing military operations and heightened regional tensions, CENTCOM said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic.
"Since early May, CENTCOM forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels carrying around 450 million barrels of crude oil," the statement said.
Earlier, Qazinform reported Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement announced an immediate naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday, escalating regional tensions and raising concerns over maritime trade and energy supplies.