The United States on Tuesday attacked Iranian missile sites stationed along the Strait of Hormuz coastline as part of Operation Epic Fury, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. "Hours ago, US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM posted on X/Twitter. "The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait," the statement added.
The strikes come as sources told The Jerusalem Postthat operations at the Strait of Hormuz could prolong the war for "weeks, if not months." “This could extend the war by as much as two months,” one source familiar with the discussions said. At present, following Iranian threats to target ships, many vessels are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for the global energy market, through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.
Satellite images from the Persian Gulf show numerous ships waiting outside the strait to avoid potential attacks.Within the Trump administration, ensuring safe navigation through the strait is now being incorporated into its war objectives. Officials are even considering the possibility of a ground operation on Iran’s Kharg Island, located in the center of the strait, after the US military struck targets there over the weekend. With this in mind, the US military announced that 5,000 Marines will be deployed to the region. (Read More)
