US Launches Third Airstrikes on Iran This Week After Attack on Commercial Ship in Strait of Hormuz

The United States conducted its third round of airstrikes against Iran this week following an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM announced on Sunday night that US forces launched strikes at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Time targeting Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) assets after the IRGC attacked the Cyprus-registered container ship M/V GFS Galaxy. The attack caused a fire on the ship's deck, significant damage to the engine room, and left one civilian crew member missing, forcing the vessel to halt its journey.

CENTCOM stated that Iran was given another chance to comply with a memorandum of understanding after previous attacks on commercial ships but failed to do so. The US vowed to continue degrading Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial shipping in the strategic waterway. A senior US official told Channel 12 News that the strikes targeted radar systems for air and sea surveillance, missile storage facilities, drone sites, missile and drone launchers, and surface-to-air missile launchers.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented on social media, "Iran made a bad decision. Now they are paying." Hours after the US strikes, Bahrain reported missile and drone alerts and warnings across the country, indicating heightened regional tensions.