JUST IN: US launches sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, CENTCOM says

International, Middle East

WASHINGTON (NPA) — The United States military has carried out a sixth consecutive night of strikes against targets in Iran, with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) saying the operations were aimed at degrading Iranian military capabilities following recent attacks on commercial shipping.

In a statement issued on Friday, CENTCOM said U.S. forces struck dozens of military targets, including coastal surveillance and air defence sites, military logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities.

The command said the operation, conducted at about 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time, involved fighter aircraft, aerial drones and warships using precision-guided munitions.

“At the Commander in Chief’s direction, CENTCOM is further degrading Iranian military capabilities and holding Iran accountable for recent attacks on commercial shipping,” the statement said.

According to CENTCOM, more than 50,000 U.S. service members remain deployed across the Middle East.

The latest operation marks the sixth straight night of U.S. military strikes against Iran amid an escalating confrontation between the two countries.

U.S. officials said the latest wave of attacks also targeted bridges, railway infrastructure, seaports and airports, which Washington said were being used to support Iran’s military operations.

According to U.S. accounts, the strikes were intended to pressure Iran to comply with an existing ceasefire arrangement and to reduce its capacity to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. officials also claimed that at least eight people were killed during the latest operation, although Iranian authorities had not independently confirmed the casualty figure at the time of filing this report.

Washington has accused Tehran of targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the actions as a violation of the ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

Iran, however, has maintained that it has responded to U.S. military action by launching attacks against what it described as American military bases across the Middle East.

According to Iranian authorities, the retaliatory strikes targeted U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar.

Neither side’s battlefield claims could be independently verified.