The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) says it has targeted dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) positions across Iran in its latest wave of military strikes. In a statement issued on Thursday, CENTCOM said the operation was carried out in response to what it described as an attempted Iranian missile attack against US forces a day earlier. According to the statement, the strikes targeted military command centres, missile and drone facilities, surveillance sites, coastal defence systems, and elements of Iran’s naval capabilities. CENTCOM said the operation was intended to further reduce threats posed by Iran and its allied groups to US forces, commercial shipping, and Gulf states. Meanwhile, Iranian state and local media reported explosions in several southern areas, including the islands of Kish, Qeshm and Abu Musa, as well as the cities of Bushehr, Abadan and Ahvaz. Videos circulating on social media appear to show strikes near Qeshm Island and Ahvaz. However, the footage has not been independently verified.
