The United States has unleashed its most powerful strikes yet against Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, in what officials describe as an operation "four or five times bigger" than previous attacks.
The offensive, carried out by US Central Command (CENTCOM), comes in retaliation for renewed Iranian assaults on commercial ships in the strategic waterway.
According to reports, the strikes hit over 80 targets, including air-defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, drone launch pads, port facilities, and coastal surveillance stations. Explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Qeshm Island, with Al Jazeera citing officials who counted multiple rounds of blasts in each location.
A US official told the Associated Press the operation was designed to hit "eight times more targets" than the last round of retaliatory strikes in June, adding that Washington was "turning up the volume" after Tehran ignored warnings. Another official described the strikes as "punishment" for Iran's attacks on shipping vessels.
The escalation coincides with millions of Iranians gathering for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Iranian strikes earlier this year.
Iran's military condemned the raids as a "blatant act of aggression" and vowed a "crushing response." Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabad said the strikes violated the recent memorandum of understanding, while the Foreign Ministry warned the US would bear responsibility for consequences.