US Launches Fresh Wave of Airstrikes on Iran, CENTCOM Targets Military Sites; Explosions Rock Multiple Cities

New Delhi: The United States has launched another round of military strikes on Iran, intensifying its campaign against Tehran's military infrastructure as Washington said the operation aims to further weaken Iran's ability to threaten international shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had begun conducting additional strikes on Iran on the orders of President Donald Trump.

"At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said.

The US military said it was holding Iran accountable for what it described as "recent unjustified aggression" against commercial shipping and civilian crews operating in one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.

The latest operation comes just two days after CENTCOM launched a major offensive on July 7, striking more than 80 Iranian military targets with precision-guided munitions. Those attacks targeted Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control facilities, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast attack boats operating around the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington has accused Tehran of attacking three commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterway-the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberia-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity-calling the incidents a violation of the ceasefire agreement and a threat to global maritime security.

Soon after CENTCOM announced the fresh strikes, explosions were reported across several parts of southern Iran.

According to Iranian state media, around 10 explosions were heard in the southeastern port city of Chabahar and the nearby coastal city of Konarak. Authorities also reported power outages in parts of Chabahar, saying the cause was under investigation.

Additional explosions were reported in Bushehr, home to Iran's only operational nuclear power plant, although there were no immediate reports that the facility itself had been hit.

Blasts were also reported on Abu Musa Island in the Persian Gulf, while three more explosions were heard near Tahrouyi village in the southern city of Sirik, according to Iranian media reports.

The Pentagon has maintained that the objective of the strikes is to degrade Iran's military capabilities and ensure the security of international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which nearly 20% of the world's oil supply passes.

"CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed," the command said, reiterating that the United States would continue operations if threats to freedom of navigation persist.

The latest offensive marks a further escalation in the ongoing US-Iran confrontation and comes amid mounting concerns that continued military action around the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global energy supplies and further destabilise the Middle East.

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