The U.S. military conducted airstrikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites in southern Iran on Tuesday in retaliation for recent projectile attacks on commercial vessels, according to U.S. officials. The strikes targeted areas near Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions were reported in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, as well as in Chabahar and on Qeshm Island, a strategic location within the Strait of Hormuz.
These latest airstrikes followed an incident on Monday where two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude were struck by projectiles off the coast of Oman while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. On the same day, U.S. warplanes had previously struck targets on Iran's Larak Island, near the port of Bandar Abbas.
U.S. Navy Captain Timothy Hawkins stated on Monday that the earlier strikes were a preemptive measure aimed at disrupting IRGC forces believed to be preparing to launch rockets and sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. He added that American forces in the region are maintaining close surveillance and are prepared to safeguard the uninterrupted flow of commerce through the vital waterway.
This development marks the first instance of U.S. strikes on Iranian mainland territory in over a month.
