US Airstrikes Hit Iranian Targets Near Hormuz After Merchant Ship Attack

The United States conducted airstrikes near the Strait of Hormuz targeting Iranian reconnaissance infrastructure, communication systems, air‑defence sites and drone storage facilities. The strikes were ordered by the U.S. Central Command and described as a direct response to Iran's attack on a commercial vessel, a Panama‑flagged tanker carrying more than two million barrels of oil, that occurred in the Hormuz corridor.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had launched a drone attack on U.S. bases in the region, but U.S. officials said the drones were detected and failed to reach their intended targets. The airstrikes mark the second consecutive day of U.S. retaliation and have raised concerns that the recently negotiated cease‑fire memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran could collapse.

Both sides continue to exchange accusations, with Iran alleging that U.S. actions threaten regional stability, while the United States maintains that its operations are meant to protect commercial shipping and deter further Iranian aggression.