Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The United States launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran in retaliation for what American officials described as an attempted Iranian attack on US forces in the Middle East.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation began at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on July 29. “US 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 US forces based in the Middle East,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The strikes came less than 24 hours after Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting US military positions in Jordan, an attack that US officials said was thwarted by air defences. President Donald Trump had earlier vowed a forceful response, saying the United States would hit Iran “very hard” following the attempted attack.
CENTCOM did not immediately disclose the locations or scope of the latest strikes inside Iran.
Reports from Iranian state media, however, said explosions were heard in several southern provinces, including Hormozgan and Khuzestan, with strikes reported near oil infrastructure and on islands in the Persian Gulf. Iranian officials also reported damage to residential areas in Qeshm Island, where rescue workers were searching for people trapped beneath rubble.
The latest operation ended a brief lull in direct American strikes against Iran and signalled that diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict have again given way to military action.
The retaliation followed Iran’s missile barrage against US positions in Jordan, which American military officials said had been intercepted.
