US strikes Iran again after tanker hit in Strait of Hormuz
CENTCOM said US forces targeted Iranian military sites after a Panama-flagged tanker carrying crude was struck by a drone.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
The United States carried out a second consecutive day of strikes on Iran after a commercial tanker was hit while moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The action added new strain to a regional ceasefire tied to a June 17 memorandum of understanding, according to Al Jazeera.
US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said the Saturday strikes were ordered at the direction of the commander in chief. CENTCOM said US forces acted in response to what it called continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping.
According to CENTCOM, US military aircraft struck Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communications systems, air-defense sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities. The command did not provide a damage assessment in the details reported by Al Jazeera.
Explosions were reported in southern Iran near the village of Tahrui, close to the port of Sirik, Al Jazeera reported. Sirik was also the focus of US strikes on Friday.
Tanker reported hit
The latest US action followed an incident involving the Kiku, a Panama-flagged tanker traveling through the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday. Al Jazeera reported that the ship was struck by an unidentified projectile.
CENTCOM said the vessel was hit by a one-way attack drone and was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil at the time. No crew injuries were reported, and there was no reported leak from the ship’s cargo, according to Al Jazeera.
MarineTraffic.com data cited by Al Jazeera showed the Kiku had departed the Al Shaheen oil field on Thursday. The tracking site indicated the tanker was scheduled to arrive Sunday at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most closely watched maritime routes because of its role in oil shipments from the Gulf. Al Jazeera reported the tanker attack and the US response as signs that the ceasefire arrangement established in mid-June may be under severe pressure.
The Saturday strikes mirrored the pattern from the previous day, when the United States also cited an attack on a commercial vessel as the reason for military action against Iran. CENTCOM’s statement framed the operation as a direct response to threats against shipping, while the reported blasts near Sirik pointed to another round of US targeting in the same area of southern Iran.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.