Key facts
- The US military launched strikes against Iran, hitting over 80 targets.
- The strikes were in response to Iran's attacks on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Targets included Iranian defense systems, command and control networks, and coastal radar sites.
- Iran accused the US of violating a memorandum of understanding and threatened retaliation.
- Bahrain sounded missile alert sirens following the US strikes.
The United States military launched fresh strikes on Iran early Wednesday, targeting more than 80 sites including defense systems, command and control networks, and coastal radar sites, according to US Central Command. These actions were a direct response to Iran's recent attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command stated that the strikes were conducted to "impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway." The military also reported hitting over 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats used by Iran.
Iran immediately warned Washington that it would "take whatever measures it deems necessary," raising concerns about the potential breakdown of an interim agreement and the risk of wider conflict in the Middle East. Iran's foreign ministry accused the United States of violating a memorandum of understanding, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stating, "The era of bullying and extortion is over."
Iranian state media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Sirik, and Iran's central military command vowed a decisive response to the "aggression and terrorist act." The country's armed forces asserted they would not allow interference in the affairs of the Strait of Hormuz.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, sounded its missile alert sirens on Wednesday morning following the US strikes. A similar series of Iranian attacks on shipping and US retaliatory strikes occurred late last month.
In parallel, the US revoked a license that had authorized the sale of Iranian oil as part of an interim deal, following the attacks on shipping. One tanker was reportedly hit off the coast of Oman and caught fire, while two other ships sustained damage but continued their journey. Saudi Aramco had previously slashed its August selling prices for Asian cargoes by $11 per barrel, the largest cut since 2000, citing decreased demand.