On the evening of July 8, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that, on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. forces had launched additional military strikes against the Islamic Republic.
According to CENTCOM, the objective of the operation is to further reduce the Iranian government's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command stated that the United States holds the Islamic Republic responsible for its recent and "unjustified" attacks on commercial vessels and their civilian crews in one of the world's most important international waterways and will continue to hold the Iranian government accountable.
Hours before the strikes, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said that Washington had made it clear to the Islamic Republic from the outset that halting attacks on commercial shipping was a condition for reducing tensions and that any resumption of such attacks would be met with a strong U.S. military response.
Referring to recent U.S. strikes against Iranian military targets, Vance said that the Iranian regime had once again fired on commercial vessels in violation of its commitments.
Vance also stressed that President Donald Trump is determined to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and that the U.S. military will respond again if the Iranian regime attempts to close the strategic waterway.
