Capitals, July 12 (SANA) U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday it had completed a third round of strikes against Iran this week, targeting about 140 military sites, as Gulf states and Jordan reported drone and missile attacks linked to the escalating conflict.
CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out in response to what it described as Tehran’s latest attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement posted on X, the command said U.S. forces used precision-guided munitions launched from land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels to strike missile and drone facilities, naval assets, ammunition depots, communications networks and coastal surveillance sites.
The command said U.S. forces had struck more than 300 targets during three nights of operations this week under orders from the U.S. president, adding that the campaign was intended to reduce Iran’s ability to target civilian mariners and commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM also said commercial traffic continued through the strategic waterway, noting that U.S. forces had facilitated the passage of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying about 400 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May.
The latest strikes came hours after CENTCOM announced the start of a new round of airstrikes following what it said was an Iranian attack on a container ship and Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic.
Elsewhere in the region, Oman‘s state news agency reported that drone attacks targeted sites in the northern governorate of Musandam. An Omani security source condemned the attacks, saying authorities had taken all necessary measures to protect the country and maintain security and stability.
Jordan‘s armed forces also said three missiles launched from Iran landed in several locations inside the kingdom on Sunday, causing no casualties and only minor material damage. Military engineering teams secured the impact sites and disposed of the missile remnants, while the armed forces said they remained on high alert to counter any threat to the country’s sovereignty.
In Qatar, the Interior Ministry said three people, including a child, were injured by falling debris from intercepted Iranian missiles after the country’s armed forces responded to an Iranian missile attack early Sunday. The ministry said the injured were receiving medical treatment and that security agencies remained fully operational to ensure public safety.
The developments come amid renewed military exchanges between Washington and Tehran and growing concerns over maritime security and regional stability in the Gulf.
N.J/ABD
