By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. military announced late Monday that it had completed its latest series of strikes against Iran, targeting Iranian military command hubs, missile and drone launch facilities, maritime assets and air‑defense systems.
The announcement came via a post on the social‑media platform X from U.S. Central Command.
- The most recent strike operation lasted roughly five hours, according to the military, marking ten straight nights of U.S. attacks on Iran.
- Washington said the goal is to “degrade Iran’s capacity to continue attacking commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
- The conflict began when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting Iranian retaliation against Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases.
- U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli operations in Lebanon during the war have resulted in thousands of fatalities and displaced millions.
- The fighting has driven up oil prices and rattled global markets.
- U.S. troop fatalities in the war have risen to 17 over the past weekend.
- On Monday, former President Trump vowed revenge against Iran following the deadly weekend for American troops.
- In the preceding week, Trump suggested expanding the target set in Iran to include energy infrastructure and bridges.
- The 1949 Geneva Conventions prohibit attacks on sites deemed essential to civilian survival.
- After Trump’s earlier threats to strike such sites, U.S. international‑law experts warned earlier this year that such actions could constitute war crimes.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Lincoln Feast.)
