US launches third wave of strikes against Iran, hitting 140 targets in Gulf

The United States carried out a third wave of precision airstrikes against Iran, targeting more than 140 sites across the country, including missile and drone bases, coastal radar stations, ammunition depots and naval facilities. The operation, announced by U.S. Central Command, was presented as a pre‑emptive measure to protect international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to curb Iran’s regional influence.

Iran responded with retaliatory attacks on U.S. and allied positions in Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Jordan, and reported one security guard killed and four people injured at a water station in Mahshahr, Iran. The escalation has further strained the cease‑fire agreement reached in June, contributed to a drop in vessel traffic through the Hormuz Strait, and heightened concerns over oil‑price volatility.

U.S. officials said the strikes aimed to degrade Iran’s missile‑drone capabilities, limit its ability to threaten maritime commerce and demonstrate a willingness to intensify military pressure if necessary.