US launches strikes on over 80 Iran targets after Strait of Hormuz attacks

The United States said that its forces carried out a new round of retaliatory strikes against Iran on Tuesday local time targeting more than 80 sites after accusing Tehran of attacking commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz while Iranian authorities said there had been no reports of civilian casualties from the strikesAccording to the release of the US Central Command CENTCOM the strikes were conducted on July 7 as an immediate response to Irans latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of HormuzIn a statement CENTCOM said US Central Command CENTCOM forces completed a new round of offensive strikes against Iran on July 7 hitting over 80 targets with precision munitions as an immediate response to Irans latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of HormuzThe US military said the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems commandandcontrol networks coastal radar sites antiship missile capabilities and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC small boats operating in and near the Strait of HormuzAccording to CENTCOM the operation was aimed at degrading Irans ability to carry out further attacks on international shippingThe US further alleged that Iran had recently conducted strikes on three commercial vessels transiting the strategic waterwaythe Marshall Islandsflagged MT Al Rekayyat the Saudi ArabiaflaggedMT Wedyan and the Liberianflagged MT Cyprus ProsperityCalling the alleged strikes a breach of the ceasefire CENTCOM said The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigationIt added CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyedMeanwhile Irans official news agency IRNA citing the office of the Governor of Hormozgan province reported that to date there have been no civilian casualty reports resulting from Tuesday evenings attacks by the American adversaryAccording to Iranian state media a series of blasts rocked several locations following the air raids with detonations recorded in Qeshm Island and the port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas The reports further indicated that blazes broke out at both the Shahid Haqqani Port in Bandar Abbas and the pier at Sirik Meanwhile Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has departed Iraq and is returning to Tehran as per IRIBPezeshkian had travelled to the Iraqi city of Najaf to attend the multiday funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei whose body arrived in the city on Tuesday Pezeshkian left Najaf in the early hours of Wednesday local time after concluding his visit to Iraq as per IRNA Pezeshkians return came as the United States launched a series of military strikes against IranIn addition to retaliatory strikes the United States has revoked a general licence that authorised the sale of Iranian oil saying Tehrans actions in the Strait of Hormuz were wholly unacceptable and would have consequences following recent strikes on commercial tankers The Times of Israel reportedIn response Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday strongly condemned the United States decision to revoke a temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales calling it a clear violation of Article 10 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding MoU signed on June 18The US decision came after three tankers reported being struck by unidentified projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations UKMTO There was no immediate response from Tehran or any claim of responsibilityHowever Irans state broadcaster IRIB citing unnamed sources on Tuesday reported that the Qatari oil tanker AlRaqayat was targeted after allegedly attempting to transit through the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz with US Navy support while ignoring repeated Iranian warningsIRIB further highlighted Irans longstanding position that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to what it was before the US attack on Iran adding that all transit through the Strait must follow routes announced by Iran otherwise the security of vessels cannot be guaranteedThe US Treasury Department had on June 21 lifted previous sanctions to allow the production delivery and sale of Iranian crude oil petrochemical and petroleum products through August 21 after the United States and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoUThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever