US hits 140 Iranian targets in third round of Hormuz strikes

Third round of military action

US Central Command said late Saturday that American forces completed a third consecutive night of military strikes against Iran this week, using precision-guided munitions launched from land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels to hit approximately 140 targets. The operation targeted missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks and coastal surveillance positions, according to a statement from the combatant command.

"During three nights of strikes this week, CENTCOM has struck more than 300 targets at the direction of the Commander in Chief to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait," CENTCOM said in a statement, referring to the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The latest barrage followed an attack that Washington attributed to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against the commercial cargo ship M/V GFS Galaxy, which the US said was struck by a missile, leaving one civilian crew member missing and causing significant damage.

Strait closure and diplomatic deadlock

Commercial shipping continues to move through the Strait of Hormuz despite the ongoing military operations, CENTCOM noted, adding that American forces have helped facilitate the transit of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying 400 million barrels of crude oil through the waterway since early May. The IRGC claimed, however, that it fired only a "warning shot" after the vessel failed to alter course, disputing Washington's account of the incident.

Iran later announced the closure of the strategic waterway "until further notice," as diplomatic efforts in Muscat to ease tensions failed to produce an agreement. The blockade threatens to disrupt energy shipments through the chokepoint, which handles a significant portion of global oil traffic.