U.S. Central Command Claims Large-Scale Airstrikes on Iranian Military Targets
Washington / Tehran:The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed responsibility for carrying out large-scale airstrikes against dozens of military targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), describing the operation as a response to an alleged Iranian ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces a day earlier.
According to a CENTCOM statement, the strikes targeted military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defense sites, and naval assets across several locations in Iran.
The U.S. military said the objective of the operation was to reduce threats facing American forces in the region, Gulf allies, and international commercial shipping.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that U.S. strikes also hit several locations in southern Iran early Thursday. According to Iranian news agencies, missile attacks were reported near **Qeshm Island** and around the city of **Abadan**.
Iranian reports quoted **Hormozgan Province** Deputy Governor **Ahmad Nafisi** as saying that a location near Qeshm Island was struck by the U.S. military at around **4:00 a.m.** local time.
Separately, Iran’s **Fars News Agency** cited an official in **Khuzestan Province** as claiming that missile strikes also targeted areas surrounding Abadan.
Iranian authorities have not yet released complete details regarding possible casualties or damage resulting from the attacks, while U.S. officials have also withheld further information on the outcome of the operation.
Defense analysts say the latest airstrikes indicate that military tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating once again, raising concerns over their potential impact on Gulf security, global energy markets, and international stability.
