US Launches Fresh Strikes on Iran at Trump's Direction, CENTCOM Says
US Central Command said American forces began a new round of strikes on Iranian military targets at 21:30 GMT Wednesday at President Trump's direction.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
US Central Command said American forces began a new round of strikes against Iranian military targets at 21:30 GMT (5:30 PM US Eastern time) at President Donald Trump’s direction, Middle East Eye reported Wednesday evening.
What we know
CENTCOM said the operation was launched at 21:30 GMT and struck “Iranian military targets” under a direct order from President Trump, per the Middle East Eye account of the CENTCOM statement. The command did not identify specific installations, platforms used, or the number of strikes in its initial announcement.
The new operation is a distinct wave beyond the 11th consecutive night of overnight strikes reported earlier Wednesday, and follows Trump’s warnings the same day that he would target Iranian infrastructure if Tehran attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz.
Hours before the new US strikes, Iran’s Health Ministry said US strikes since 27 June have killed 53 Iranians and wounded 592 others, according to figures released by ministry spokesman Hussein Kermanpour. Al Jazeera reported that three of the dead were children.
What we don’t know
CENTCOM has not disclosed target lists, damage assessments, or the aircraft, missiles and naval platforms involved in the new operation. Iranian state media had not issued an initial response as of this writing, and casualty figures from tonight’s strikes are unavailable. This is a developing story.
Context
The current US campaign has run continuously since 12 July, originally framed by CENTCOM as an effort to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon disclosed earlier this week that nearly 100 US service members have been injured in the widening exchange.
Iranian projectiles have continued to test regional missile defenses in the past 24 hours, with reported interceptions over Bahrain and Jordan. Tehran has also petitioned the UN Security Council to condemn the earlier US strike on the Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant, characterizing it as a threat to international safety.
What to watch
- CENTCOM disclosure of specific targets and any independent battle-damage assessment from open-source imagery in the coming hours.
- Iranian retaliatory activity toward US bases in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Syria overnight.
- Whether Iran raises the new strikes at the UN Security Council alongside its pending Darkhovin complaint.
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