U.S. Central Command carried out its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Thursday, targeting military command centers, drone storage facilities, communications networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities.
The operations were designed to limit Iran's capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a CENTCOM statement released Friday. The command noted that "The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps" And that "Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with U.S. military support."
CENTCOM said more than 50,000 U.S. Service members are currently deployed across the Middle East. The sustained campaign follows nearly two weeks of U.S. Military action against Iranian targets following an escalation in attacks on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.
On Thursday, CENTCOM confirmed completion of a 12th consecutive night of strikes targeting maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites and air-defense assets, stating that "The strikes further degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels."
Earlier this month, the United States struck dozens of Iranian military sites and resumed a naval blockade of Iran, redirecting commercial vessels and preventing others from entering or departing Iranian ports. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps subsequently claimed it had prevented three oil tankers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, asserting control over the chokepoint.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran was "getting hit so hard" And would soon be ready to negotiate. "They want to make a deal," Trump said at a rally in Georgia, adding "But I say they're not ready to make a deal because every time they make a deal, they want to change it."
Trump warned the United States would strike critical Iranian infrastructure if attacks on vessels continued, writing on Truth Social: "From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by missile, rocket, drone or another device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those located next to, or in, the capital city of Tehran."