US launches fresh strikes on 90 Iranian military targets

The United States has launched a fresh wave of airstrikes targeting around 90 military sites across Iran's southern coastline and the strategic Strait of Hormuz, further escalating military tensions in the Gulf.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation in a statement on Thursday (July 9), saying the strikes were aimed at significantly degrading Iran's military capabilities along the Persian Gulf.

The latest strikes comes just a day after Washington claimed to have struck more than 80 Iranian targets, bringing the total number of sites hit over the past two days to nearly 170.

According to CENTCOM, the latest operation targeted air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage facilities, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran's southern coast.

The US military said the strikes were intended to weaken Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy corridors.

The renewed strikes follows Iran's retaliatory attack early Thursday, when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles and drones at four US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in response to Wednesday night's American strikes.

Source: Al Jazeera