Washington Strikes Sites in Iran in Response to Attack on Ship in Hormuz

SadaNews: The U.S. Army announced today, Sunday, that it has carried out strikes against Iran in response to an attack targeting a civilian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to SadaNews, these strikes targeted approximately 140 Iranian military sites using precision munitions fired from ground and naval fighter jets, drones, and warships. The targets included missile and drone sites, maritime facilities, ammunition depots, communication networks, and surveillance sites along the coast. Over the past three days, the strikes targeted more than 300 sites in Iran.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the U.S. military launched a new round of strikes on Iran after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a cargo ship flying the Cypriot flag while it was crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM mentioned in a statement, "One of the civilian crew members is missing, and the ship is unable to continue its journey due to a fire that broke out on board and significant damage sustained in the engine room."

CENTCOM confirmed that the strikes were carried out under the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Axios reported citing an American official that among the targets of the U.S. strikes in Iran were missile and drone launch sites, in addition to aerial surveillance radars and missile storage locations.

Reuters reported that Iranian media indicated that there were reports of explosions heard on Qeshm Island.

According to Iranian media, explosions also occurred in Bushehr and Asaluyeh in southern Iran.

The British Maritime Trade Operations announced today, Sunday, that it received a report of an incident nine nautical miles east of the Sultanate of Oman.

The authority stated that military authorities reported that a cargo ship sustained damages that led to a fire on board.

Later, the authority confirmed that the crew members of the targeted ship off the coast of Oman left it and are currently on a life raft.

Official Iranian media reported that the Revolutionary Guard's navy announced early this Sunday morning that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice.

The announcement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard came after its navy fired warning shots at a ship, claiming it tried to pass through an unauthorized route, according to Reuters.

According to Axios reporting from an American official, the Revolutionary Guard fired a missile at a commercial cargo ship that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in it being hit and damaged.

U.S. officials told Axios that Washington had demanded an official acknowledgment from Iran confirming the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks on vessels, but instead, the attack occurred.