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US Launches New Strikes on Iran as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump ordered a new round of U.S. military strikes against Iran on Sunday, with U.S. Central Command saying the operation was intended to further weaken Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping…

Andrew PowellJul 13, 20262 min read

Donald Trump Iran Politics U.S. News

President Donald Trump ordered a new round of U.S. military strikes against Iran on Sunday, with U.S. Central Command saying the operation was intended to further weaken Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the New York Post, CENTCOM said the strikes began around 5 p.m. ET and concluded after U.S. forces hit dozens of targets across multiple locations using precision-guided munitions.

Military officials said the operation targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar installations, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats believed to support military operations.

CENTCOM said the mission involved fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones and one-way attack sea drones, marking the first time those maritime drones were used in combat operations.

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In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said U.S. forces remain prepared to protect commercial shipping.

"U.S. forces are postured and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available to commercial shipping despite

Iran

's continued unwarranted aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations," the statement said.

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Iranian state media reported strikes in several northern and southern provinces, saying at least one person was killed and several others were injured.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later announced retaliatory strikes against U.S. military infrastructure across the Middle East.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported attacks on military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, including damage to fuel storage tanks, Patriot air defense systems, helicopter maintenance facilities and a drone command center.

Iran also claimed it targeted U.S. military assets in Jordan, Oman and Qatar, while missile activity and interceptions were reported in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

The latest military action follows another large-scale U.S. operation conducted Saturday, when CENTCOM said American forces struck 140 targets across Iran after Tehran attacked a commercial vessel and declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Those strikes targeted missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition storage facilities, communications networks and surveillance positions, according to the military.

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press" after Saturday's operation, Trump said the strategic waterway remained open.

"Yeah, it's open. We bombed the hell out of them last night," Trump said.

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that additional attacks would continue if the United States challenged Iran's control over the waterway.

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