The United States has announced a third round of military strikes against Iran this week following what it described as a direct attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement posted on the verified X account of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces began the latest strikes at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Time, targeting assets linked to Iran after the reported assault on the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the strategic waterway.
CENTCOM alleged that the IRGC was responsible for the attack, which left one civilian crew member missing. The vessel reportedly suffered a serious onboard fire and extensive damage to its engine room, rendering it unable to continue its voyage.
The U.S. military stated that Iran had been given another opportunity to comply with previous commitments following earlier incidents involving attacks on commercial shipping. However, Washington accused Tehran of once again failing to meet those expectations.
“As a result, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” CENTCOM said in its statement.
The command added that the military action was being carried out under the direction of the Commander in Chief, underscoring that the strikes were intended to reduce Iran’s capability to threaten international maritime traffic in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with a significant portion of the world’s oil exports passing through the narrow waterway each day. Any disruption in the area has the potential to affect international trade and global energy markets….See More