CENTCOM Announces Third Round of U.S. Strikes on Iran

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The U.S. military announced a new round of strikes against Iran on Saturday, marking the third such operation this week as Washington intensifies its response to what it says are escalating threats against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the strikes were announced by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which said the operation followed an attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy while it was transiting the strategically important waterway.

CENTCOM said the strikes were conducted under the direction of President Donald Trump.

The U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth also commented on the latest strikes on his X account by simply saying: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."

The latest military action underscores a broader shift in Washington's response to maritime security challenges in the Gulf.

Rather than treating attacks on commercial vessels as isolated incidents, the Trump administration is signaling that military force has become part of a wider deterrence strategy aimed at protecting international shipping lanes. 

By carrying out successive operations within days, U.S. officials appear intent on increasing the costs of actions they attribute to Iran while reinforcing their commitment to freedom of navigation through one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.

CENTCOM said the operation was intended to further reduce Iran's capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. military stated that continuing strikes are designed to degrade capabilities it says have been employed against international shipping, framing the campaign as part of efforts to safeguard maritime commerce rather than broader offensive objectives.

Iranian authorities had not immediately provided an official assessment of the latest strikes.

However, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that more than four explosions were heard in the southeastern port city of Jask. 

The outlet also reported loud explosions in Konarak and Chabahar, though the locations and causes of the blasts were not independently verified.

According to AFP, the latest operation followed what CENTCOM described as an attack on the M/V GFS Galaxy, a large 304-meter container ship flagged under Cyprus and the Marshall Islands while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Shipping information identifies the vessel as being owned by Frendale Navigation Co. Ltd. and managed by Dubai-based GFS Ship Management FZE in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, which operates a fleet of roughly 35 vessels with roots in the Gulf shipping industry dating back to 1992.

The U.S. military accused IRGC forces of carrying out the incident, although details surrounding the encounter have not been independently verified.

Iranian authorities had not publicly acknowledged responsibility for the reported attack in the information available at the time of publication.

The military action comes as tensions over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz continue to intensify.

According to AFP, Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced Sunday that the waterway would be closed "until further notice," a move reported by Iranian state media following an incident involving a vessel that authorities said had ignored instructions regarding an approved shipping route.

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, the Revolutionary Guards said they fired warning shots at the vessel before halting it and argued that the closure would remain in effect until what they described as the end of U.S. military interventions in the region.

Iranian officials have also maintained that Tehran has the authority to regulate traffic through the waterway and have previously indicated plans to impose fees on vessels using the route.

Washington has rejected that position, maintaining that international commercial shipping must continue to enjoy unrestricted passage through the strait.

Under customary international law, straits used for international navigation are generally regarded as open to transit by commercial vessels, making freedom of navigation a central point of disagreement between the United States and Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most strategically significant maritime chokepoints.

Roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade typically passes through the narrow waterway, meaning disruptions can quickly affect energy prices, shipping costs and global supply chains.

Any prolonged interruption to maritime traffic is therefore closely watched by governments, energy markets and the international shipping industry.

The latest exchange of military action also adds further strain to already fragile diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.

According to AFP, recent days have seen both sides exchange military strikes while negotiations have become increasingly overshadowed by disputes over navigation rights and regional security.

Although U.S. officials have characterized the latest strikes as a response to threats against commercial shipping, Iran continues to defend its actions as measures related to its security interests in the Gulf.

The competing narratives illustrate how maritime security has become a central front in the broader confrontation between the two countries, with developments in the Strait of Hormuz carrying implications that extend well beyond the region.