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US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces have claimed to carry out a "heavy wave of strikes" against dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Wednesday (local time), calling the action a response to attempted Iranian missile strikes on US forces in West Asia.
The strikes, completed at 10 p.m. ET on July 29 (Wednesday), targeted IRGC military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime capabilities, according to a CENTCOM press release. The strikes aimed to "further diminish threats posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries," CENTCOM said. CENTCOM said that the US action came a day after IRGC forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an "attempted surprise attack" on US forces based in West Asia. "All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted," CENTCOM said. Earlier, in a post on X, CENTCOM said, "U.S. forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East." CENTCOM also said that more than 50,000 US service members are currently deployed to West Asia and "remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready." The development comes as US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his threat of military action against Iran, stating that Washington plans to strike Tehran "very hard" and asserting that "it's our turn to hit them." When asked during an Oval Office appearance about an earlier blast at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, Trump confirmed that he had received a briefing on the incident, adding that "it's going to be straightened out." Directing further warnings at Tehran, the US President declared, "They know it's coming." Trump further noted the possibility of future diplomacy, saying, "We'll see if we get there with an agreement at some point," prior to reiterating his warning of kinetic action. The US President's sharp rhetoric came in the immediate aftermath of an explosion on Wednesday that rocked a US-owned and operated liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel at Egypt's Damietta Port following a drone strike, raising fears that the West Asia conflict is spilling over into critical energy hubs beyond its traditional Gulf theatre. (ANI)
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