The US military carried out what it described as “self-defence strikes” in southern Iran on Monday, targeting missile launch sites and Iranian vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement to Fox News.
Hawkins said the targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats that were allegedly attempting to lay mines in the strategic waterway.
“US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he added.
According to a senior US official, two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boats were detected laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a military response. US forces also struck a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site in Bandar Abbas after it reportedly targeted American warplanes.
The official said both Iranian vessels and the missile site were destroyed in what he described as “defensive strikes.”
Two additional sources told Fox News that the operation did not signal the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran, stressing that the strikes were limited in scope.
The developments came as explosions were reported across areas near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Iranian media reported blasts in Bandar Abbas, while additional explosions were heard near Sirik and Jask along the southern coast.
The senior US official later said the strikes were “over for now.”
– Ends
Source link
[ad_3]
