The United States has launched a fresh wave of heavy airstrikes against Iran, targeting dozens of facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in the latest escalation of the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces completed the operation at about 10 p.m. Eastern Time on July 29, describing it as a response to attempted Iranian missile attacks against US forces in the Middle East the previous day. According to CENTCOM, Iranian forces had launched multiple ballistic missiles in what it described as an attempted surprise attack, but the missiles were intercepted.
The latest US strikes targeted IRGC military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, as well as maritime capabilities, according to the American military. CENTCOM said the operation was intended to further reduce threats posed by Iran and its proxies to US personnel, commercial shipping and neighboring Gulf states.
The strikes represent another significant escalation in a conflict that has already seen repeated American attacks on Iranian military infrastructure. Earlier US operations had targeted missile and drone sites, air-defense systems, naval capabilities and other military installations, particularly around Iran’s coastline and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
More than 50,000 US service members are currently deployed across the Middle East, according to CENTCOM, underscoring the scale of the American military presence in the region.
The latest exchange comes amid heightened concerns over the wider regional consequences of the conflict, particularly for commercial shipping and energy supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Any further escalation could increase risks for vessels operating in the region and add pressure to already volatile global energy markets.
