US Launches New Airstrikes Against Iran to Weaken Threats in Strait of Hormuz

The United States initiated a new wave of airstrikes against Iran on the eighth consecutive day of military actions. The US Central Command announced that the strikes began at 18:00 Eastern Time, following orders from President Donald Trump. The operation aims to diminish Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and to swiftly punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in response to attacks on American personnel in Jordan the previous evening.

Details about the scale and specific targets of the strikes were not disclosed. Iran's official news agency IRNA reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas and on the nearby Qeshm Island. Concurrently, the US is reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East by deploying additional fighter jets, including F-16s from Germany and F-35 stealth aircraft from the UK. These aircraft may be tasked with targeting Iranian radar systems that control surface-to-air missiles.

In coordination with Israel, the US is also sending more aerial refueling planes to Israeli Air Force bases. The Israeli military confirmed this move is part of the US's regional strategic adjustments and emphasized that the aircraft will be stationed at military bases rather than Ben Gurion Airport to minimize disruption to civilian air traffic. American crews initially requested to be based near Tel Aviv at Ben Gurion Airport but were ultimately assigned to air force bases, with transportation arranged for their leisure travel to the city.