PHOTO-Smoke rises from a port, near Strait of Hormuz, following a US strike in Kuhestak, Hormozgan Province, Iran, July 8, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Social Media/UGC/Reuters
The U.S. military struck Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, a U.S. official said.
This was the second day in a row that the U.S. attacked Iranian targets in what U.S. officials say is an effort to get Tehran to stop striking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military launched cruise missiles at two railway bridges in northeastern Iran as part of Wednesday’s strikes, a U.S. official told Axios.
- This marks the first time the U.S. has struck Iranian infrastructure since the April 8 ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the Kuwait Army said on X Wednesday evening its air defenses were “confronting hostile missile and drone attacks,” while Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported air raid sirens sounding in the kingdom.
President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Iranian officials “called a little while ago. They want to make a deal.”
- Trump said Wednesday’s U.S. strikes on Iran were in response to Iranian attacks against commercial ships.
- “We hit them pretty hard. When they hit, we hit back much harder,” he said.
- Trump said on Truth Social Wednesday evening that if Tehran struck commercial ships again, the response “will get much worse!”
Iranian state media reported that the strikes took place in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, the Island of Lavan and other areas along Iran’s southern coast near the strait.
- The U.S. official said Wednesday’s strikes are wider in scope than Tuesday’s strikes.
- Targets include Iranian military coastal radars, anti-ship missile positions and air defense systems.
U.S. Central Command said Wednesday evening its forces were “conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.’
- The statement added: “The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway.”
- AXIOS
