US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it carried out a large-scale wave of strikes on dozens of military targets belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. In a statement, CENTCOM said the operation was a retaliation for Iran's attempted missile attacks on US forces.
CENTCOM, which used the phrase "Our forces successfully completed an intense wave of strikes against Iran," said the targets hit included military command centers, missile and drone facilities, surveillance and coastal defense positions, and naval capabilities. It stressed that the strikes aimed to reduce the threats posed by Iran and its proxies to US forces, commercial maritime traffic, and neighboring Gulf countries.
US Military Presence in the Region
US Central Command reported that more than 50,000 American troops are currently deployed in the Middle East region.
Iran Claims Civilian Casualties
Iranian state television claimed that a 2-year-old child and his parents were killed in an American airstrike on a residential building on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This claim has not been independently verified.
Jordan Intercepts Missiles
The Jordanian army also announced that same morning that it intercepted five missiles from Iran. This incident occurred on the fourth day of attacks targeting Jordan.
Background of the Tensions
The US strikes on Iran escalated again after a 13-day wave that lasted until July 24. Iran had also announced during this period that it targeted American military facilities and equipment in Arab countries, primarily Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Tensions between the two countries escalated after the memorandum of understanding signed on June 18 and the final agreement negotiations collapsed due to disagreements over navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz. On February 28, the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which according to Tehran killed more than 3,000 people, while Iran's retaliation resulted in American and Israeli casualties.
