The United States expanded its military campaign against Iran overnight, carrying out strikes around Tehran for the first time in the latest phase of the conflict while also targeting military positions along the country's southern coast and in the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation came as Washington said it had disabled an oil tanker allegedly attempting to breach its renewed naval blockade of Iranian ports.
According to the US military, American forces fired Hellfire missiles into the smokestack of an unladen, Curacao-flagged oil tanker that was sailing toward Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal. US officials said the vessel ignored repeated warnings before being disabled.
"The ship ignored multiple warnings," the US military said, adding that the action was part of efforts to enforce the blockade on Iranian ports.
US Central Command said the latest operations were aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy corridors. American forces reported striking command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone capabilities, coastal surveillance facilities, and cruise missile sites, including positions on Greater Tunb Island. Additional strikes were reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Sirik, Chabahar, Konarak, Rask, Khondab, Khorramabad and Semnan.
