Published June 27th, 2026 - 10:17 GMT
ALBAWABA- The United States launched targeted airstrikes on Iranian military positions near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday in retaliation for a drone attack on a commercial cargo vessel, marking the latest escalation in the volatile confrontation between Washington and Tehran.According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes targeted missile and drone storage facilities, coastal radar installations, and other military infrastructure on or near Iran's Qeshm Island and in the Sirik area along the strategic waterway.Residents in southern Iran reported hearing multiple explosions during the operation. Iranian media said military-related facilities were struck, with some reports indicating damage to telecommunications infrastructure and water storage facilities. There were no immediate confirmed reports of casualties.U.S. officials said the operation was launched in response to Thursday's drone attack on a commercial cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, describing the incident as an "unwarranted act of aggression" that violated a fragile ceasefire and endangered freedom of navigation through one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.BREAKING: The U.S. military says it has struck multiple targets in Iran as the ceasefire is strained by a second day of attacks. https://t.co/yyLjV6vjJE— The Associated Press (@AP) June 27, 2026 President Donald Trump condemned the attack as a "foolish violation" of the ceasefire, while CENTCOM described the retaliatory operation as a limited but "powerful" strike designed to neutralize immediate threats to commercial shipping without triggering a broader military conflict. U.S. officials said the mission, carried out by fighter aircraft, lasted approximately 90 minutes.The latest exchange comes amid continuing tensions in the 2026 U.S.-Iran conflict, which has seen repeated military confrontations, attacks on commercial shipping, and competing efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.The situation remains highly volatile, with concerns growing over possible Iranian retaliation and renewed disruptions to maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf as international shipping and naval forces remain on heightened alert.
