TAMPA, Fla. — The United States has carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iranian military targets, U.S. Central Command said, escalating hostilities after Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in the Middle East.
The strikes, completed late on Wednesday, targeted dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites across Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense positions, and maritime capabilities, CENTCOM said.
The U.S. military said the operation was conducted in response to an Iranian missile attack on American forces the previous day. CENTCOM said multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran were intercepted and that no missiles reached their intended U.S. military targets.
The latest strikes add to a sustained U.S. campaign against Iranian military infrastructure amid a broader conflict that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and heightened tensions across the Middle East.
Washington has said its military operations are aimed at reducing threats to U.S. personnel, commercial shipping and regional partners. U.S. Central Command has previously said American forces have targeted Iranian missile and drone sites, air defenses, coastal surveillance systems and maritime assets.
More than 50,000 U.S. service members are deployed across the Middle East, according to CENTCOM, which has repeatedly said its forces remain on heightened alert.
The strikes followed a separate U.S.-Saudi military operation in Iraq on Tuesday against Iran-aligned groups that Washington said had carried out attacks against U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure. CENTCOM said American and Saudi aircraft struck logistics and weapons sites after more than 30 drone attacks attributed to Iran-aligned militants.
The conflict has also spread beyond Iran and Iraq. Reuters reported on Wednesday that a drone struck a U.S.-owned floating storage tanker at Egypt's Damietta port, causing a fire that spread to another vessel. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
Iran has repeatedly condemned U.S. military action and has launched attacks against U.S. positions and commercial shipping during the conflict. Tehran has also accused Washington of widening the war, while the United States has said its operations are responses to threats against its forces and international navigation.
The latest U.S. strikes come as diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict remain uncertain. The Pentagon has not indicated that the campaign is ending, and CENTCOM said U.S. forces remain prepared to respond to further attacks.
