The U.S. Central Command said on Tuesday it had carried out a new round of strikes on Iran, hitting in excess of 80 targets during the operation. The military statement detailed a broad array of Iranian capabilities that were struck and linked the action to efforts to protect international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Alongside the strikes, U.S. authorities revoked a license that had permitted Iran to sell oil after three tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. The revocation and military action were presented as measures to reduce threats to international commerce transiting the waterway.
In its description of the operation, the U.S. military said: "U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait (of Hormuz) to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor."
The statement added: "CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed."
Iran's top joint military command issued a stern response, describing the U.S. action as a "blatant act of aggression" and pledging that Iranian armed forces would deliver a "crushing response." The command also warned that Tehran would not permit U.S. interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
Observers noted that the ceasefire in the Iran war remains fragile. The conflict began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, according to available accounts, and was followed by Iranian strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. The hostilities have involved U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon during the war, actions that the reporting says have killed thousands and displaced millions.
The ongoing conflict has also affected commodity markets, with the war cited as a factor that has spiked oil prices and shaken markets worldwide.
Note: This report presents official statements and reactions as described by military and Iranian authorities. Where descriptions are limited in the available material, those limitations are reflected rather than expanded upon.