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