Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Capitals - Agencies:

The United States escalated its military operations against Iran, launching new airstrikes targeting military sites in several southern regions of the country.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the strikes, which lasted about five hours, targeted military installations in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, and Bandar Abbas, and included coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and naval capabilities, affirming that the goal is to undermine Iran's ability to threaten commercial navigation in the region.

It confirmed that the operations were carried out under direct orders from President Donald Trump, noting that more than 50,000 US troops remain deployed in the Middle East, with forces ready to carry out further missions if necessary.

Iranian media reported hearing explosions in Bandar Abbas, Kish Island, and Qeshm Island, as well as Bushehr Province, while the official Iranian news agency stated that US bombing targeted Khuzestan Province, resulting in four people being injured.

The military escalation coincided with rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, after the UAE Ministry of Defense announced that two oil tankers were hit by two cruise missiles while traversing the southern route of the strait within Omani territorial waters, killing one crew member and injuring eight others.

A US official revealed that the United States has deployed 19 warships in the Middle East, giving it significant firepower and military presence to enforce a naval blockade on Iran.

The Washington Post quoted the official, who refused to be identified, as saying that most of the naval vessels are positioned in the northern Arabian Sea, and include the aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush, along with 13 destroyers, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser, and two landing ships.

He pointed out that the large number of destroyers gives US forces significant capability to impose a naval blockade on Iran and maintain a strong military presence in the region.

The blockade did not include any nuclear submarines, as the US Navy typically refuses to disclose their deployment locations.

According to the newspaper, the US blockade is set to resume on Tuesday at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, targeting any vessel heading to or from Iranian ports.

It is noteworthy that during the previous blockade, the US Navy intercepted or forced back more than 140 commercial vessels, and fired on the engine rooms of 9 ships to disable them after they refused to comply.

These developments come after President Donald Trump announced the resumption of military operations against Iran and the re-imposition of the naval blockade, coinciding with escalating confrontations between the two sides.

Tehran wants to impose transit fees in the strait, while Trump has disclosed that he wants to collect an amount equivalent to 20% of the value of each shipment for protecting the strait, which violates international law that is supposed to guarantee freedom of navigation.

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