US Completes Third Night of Strikes on Iran, Targeting Coastal Defences and Naval Sites
CENTCOM says a five-hour operation hit six locations to degrade Tehran’s ability to attack commercial shipping, as Trump threatens further action.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces began a third consecutive night of strikes on Iran on Monday evening, Eastern Time, and later confirmed the completion of a five-hour wave of attacks that ended at 10:15 p.m. on 13 July. According to CENTCOM statements, the operation struck military targets in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas, using precision-guided munitions against coastal defence systems, missile and drone sites, and naval capabilities. The command said the objective was to continue degrading Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and it noted that more than 50,000 US military personnel are currently deployed across the Middle East, with forces remaining on high alert and ready to respond.
Viewed from Washington, the strikes are part of a broader campaign to impose costs on Iranian forces and to assert control over the strategic waterway. In a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, President Donald Trump said the US would “hit them hard tonight and tomorrow night,” described Iranian officials as “crazy” and entirely untrustworthy, and suggested that Iran would be unable to prevent the strikes. US officials have also signalled the reimposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports and a proposal to levy a 20 percent fee for protecting the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional media reports.
From Tehran’s perspective, the operations are characterised as an act of military aggression. Iran’s joint military command stated that the United States will have no role in determining the future of the waterway and will not be permitted to interfere. Iranian state media cited the Islamabad agreement, which assigns Iran responsibility for ensuring navigational security in the strait in coordination with Oman, as the legitimate framework for maritime order. Earlier in the week, Iran had announced the closure of the strait, a move that appears to have triggered the intensified US military response.
The escalation unfolds against a backdrop of resumed bilateral negotiations last week, though Trump’s latest remarks suggest a hardening posture. Analysts in the region note that the systematic targeting of coastal defence and naval infrastructure across multiple Iranian ports indicates an effort to dismantle Tehran’s anti-access capabilities. The situation remains highly fluid: US forces are on standby for further operations, additional strikes have been threatened, and diplomatic channels appear fragile. The dossier remains open, with no immediate off-ramp signalled by either side.
| Iranian & allied press | −0.90 | critical |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic / Anglosphere press | +0.10 | neutral |
| Arab Gulf press | 0.00 | neutral |
We Iranians reject the American aggression and assert our sovereign right over the Gulf. The armed forces are ready to defend the Strait of Hormuz and punish the aggressors.
The 'heroic victimization' technique turns Iran into the target of an unjust attack, while the threat of retaliation (revenge squads) reverses the power asymmetry, presenting Iran as an actor capable of inflicting costs.
Iranian outlets omit the US justification of protecting commercial shipping and the limited nature of the strikes to military targets.
We, the Atlantic coalition, act to protect freedom of navigation and deter Iran from further aggression. Our operations are targeted and proportionate.
The 'selective normalization' technique presents military actions as standard responses to a threat, omitting the broader context of tensions and international criticism.
Atlantic media omit the Iranian perspective of aggression and threats of retaliation, as well as any criticism of the legality of the strikes.
We Gulf observers record events with concern for regional stability. Freedom of navigation is crucial, but diplomacy must prevail.
The 'apparent balancing' technique presents both sides without judgment, but the choice to include operational details and the threat to navigation implicitly favors the US position.
Gulf media omit the Iranian characterization of the US as terrorists and the threats of retaliation, as well as US domestic criticism.
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