U.S. military forces carried out overnight strikes Tuesday against Iranian military targets near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, targeting missile launch positions and vessels allegedly involved in naval mine deployment operations.
The strikes came amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran and followed renewed public demands by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles.
loud explosions in the Bandar Abbas area
Initial reports from Iran described loud explosions in the Bandar Abbas area without providing details about the cause. Iranian state-affiliated Mehr News Agency later confirmed unusual military activity in the region before U.S. officials publicly acknowledged responsibility for the operation.
CENTCOM Describes Action as “Self-Defense”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Captain Tim Hawkins, said American forces conducted the strikes as part of “self-defense operations” against Iranian threats.
According to Hawkins, the targets included missile launch positions and boats that were attempting to deploy naval mines in strategic maritime areas near the Persian Gulf.
He stated that U.S. forces continue operating “with restraint” while maintaining protection for American personnel amid the current ceasefire environment.
Trump: Elimination of Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile
Alongside the military operation, the Trump administration intensified diplomatic pressure on Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.
In a statement published on the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump referred to Iran’s enriched uranium reserves as “nuclear dust” and demanded their immediate removal or destruction.
Trump said the uranium should either be transferred directly to the United States for disposal or destroyed inside Iran under international supervision.
He added that any destruction process must occur in coordination with international nuclear inspectors, including representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency or a comparable international body.
Rubio and Lavrov Discuss Iran Crisis
Hours before the strike, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to diplomatic sources, the two officials discussed the situation in Iran as well as developments related to the war in Ukraine, in an apparent effort to coordinate positions and prevent broader regional escalation.
The latest military exchange has intensified international concerns regarding the stability of the current ceasefire and the possibility of renewed confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and regional proxy forces.
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