On the night of July 13, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz escalated sharply. By order of President Donald Trump, the United States launched another, already the third, wave of strikes against Iran. The operation was carried out by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in response to Tehran's actions aimed at blocking shipping in this strategically vital area.
Operation Objective: Protecting Shipping
An official statement from CENTCOM, published on the social network X, states that the new strikes are intended to "hold Iranian forces accountable" and definitively deprive them of the ability to attack civilian sailors. The command emphasizes that the main task is to ensure the freedom of passage for commercial vessels through the strait.
"Today at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, CENTCOM forces launched new strikes against Iran to further degrade its ability to attack civilian sailors and commercial vessels freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz," the statement reads.
Timeline of Escalation
The trigger for this new wave of attacks was Iran's decision to completely close the Strait of Hormuz on the night of July 12. Tehran explained this by stating that some vessels were moving along an unauthorized route. As a result, the Iranian side attacked a container ship, halting its movement.
The US reacted instantly. That same night, a second wave of strikes was conducted, followed by a third wave later in the evening of July 13. Previously, during earlier operations, the Central Command reported strikes on 140 Iranian military targets.
On-the-Ground Reaction and Current Status
Iranian media confirmed that explosions were heard in the south of the country, specifically in the area of the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik. Despite the tension, CENTCOM assured that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open for the passage of civilian vessels. According to the command, maritime traffic in the region continues without interruption.