Washington, July 19 (SANA) The U.S. military said on Sunday it launched a new wave of airstrikes inside Iran, while also announcing it had diverted five commercial vessels and disabled another as it continued enforcing a naval blockade on the country.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the airstrikes were carried out under direct orders from U.S. President Donald Trump with the stated objective of degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and in response to attacks targeting U.S. troops in Jordan on Saturday.
In a separate statement posted on X, CENTCOM said that, as of July 18, U.S. forces had diverted five commercial vessels and disabled one ship that attempted to breach the maritime blockade imposed on Iran, adding that U.S. forces continue to strictly enforce the blockade.
CENTCOM also released images showing the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) operating in the Arabian Sea alongside an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.
The announcement followed a statement issued on Thursday in which the U.S. military said it had inspected an oil tanker, disabled a commercial vessel and diverted three other ships attempting to breach the blockade on Iranian ports.
The United States resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports early Wednesday, saying the move was in response to continued Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military said on Saturday that two American service members were killed and another was missing while carrying out duties in Jordan on July 17, during operations by CENTCOM and partner forces to repel Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
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