The U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces carried out "defensive strikes" in southern Iran on Monday, targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Zoe Simpson
May 25 (UPI) -- The United States launched strikes in southern Iran on Monday even as negotiators for Tehran and Washington were preparing for further talks to end their war, a U.S. military spokesman said.
Capt. Tim Hawkins of the U.S. Central Command said in a statement issued to media outlets that the strikes were "self-defensive" in nature and were carried out "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces."
"Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines," Hawkins said. "U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing cease-fire."
The semi-official Mehr News Agency in Iran reported that "several explosions" were heard in the area of Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz and that civil defense sirens had been sounding there.
