U.S. Central Command reported late on Saturday that U.S. forces completed a third wave of strikes this week against Iranian military targets, striking approximately 140 sites in the latest action. The military said the locations struck on Saturday included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communications networks, and coastal surveillance installations.
The Central Command statement said these strikes followed an attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. It noted that during three nights of strikes this week, U.S. forces have struck more than 300 targets in total.
The statement reiterated the continued flow of commercial traffic through the waterway, saying, "Commercial vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continue." Central Command linked the Saturday strikes directly to the incident involving a commercial vessel in the strait.
According to the military, the U.S. strikes were announced hours after Iran said it had closed the strait after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel it described as traveling on an unapproved route. Iran warned that any retaliation over the incident would be met with a "severe response."
Central Command identified the affected vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship. The statement said the vessel suffered significant engine-room damage and that a civilian crew member was missing.
The Central Command release on X framed the operations as a response aimed at specific capabilities, listing the categories of targets struck on Saturday. Apart from the tally of roughly 140 targets that day, the military emphasized the cumulative number of more than 300 targets engaged over the three nights.
Details in the statement focused on the types of facilities and systems targeted rather than on operational tactics or platforms used in the strikes. The account also described the continued movement of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz while linking the military response to the attack on the container ship.
Clear summary
U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces completed a third round of strikes this week on Saturday, hitting about 140 Iranian military sites. The strikes were described as a response to an attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Over three nights this week, U.S. forces have struck more than 300 targets, the military added.