WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed in an official statement that its forces completed an extensive round of retaliatory strikes against Iran on Tuesday, successfully hitting more than 80 targets across the country. The military operation was carried out in direct response to recent Iranian attacks targeting commercial vessels transiting through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Reacting to the strikes, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters—the joint military command body coordinating Iran’s armed forces—stated on Tuesday that the country would deliver a “harsh response” following what it termed aggressive US attacks on parts of southern Iran.
In a parallel economic crackdown, the US Treasury Department officially revoked a previous June 21 authorization that permitted the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian-origin crude oil, petrochemical products, and petroleum products. While allowing wind-down transactions to proceed until July 17, the department strictly barred any new purchases or cargo loadings starting from Tuesday. Meanwhile, key Arab nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates jointly condemned Iran’s strikes on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, labeling them a grave threat to international navigation, global energy supplies, and regional stability.
Escalating military friction further, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson claimed on Tuesday that an American MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down over Khormoj in Iran’s Bushehr province. According to Iranian official media, Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohabi stated that the drone was targeted by an IRGC air defense system following what he described as US “air aggression” early Tuesday morning. Concurrently, Kuwait’s military announced on Tuesday that its air defenses were actively confronting incoming missile and drone attacks, clarifying that any loud explosion sounds heard across the country were caused by its interceptor systems successfully neutralizing threats in mid-air. The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army urged all citizens and residents to strictly adhere to safety instructions issued by relevant authorities.
ലഘു വിവരണം ഹോർമുസ് കടലിടുക്കിലെ കപ്പലുകൾക്ക് നേരെയുണ്ടായ ആക്രമണങ്ങൾക്ക് മറുപടിയായി ഇറാനിലെ 80-ലധികം കേന്ദ്രങ്ങളിൽ അമേരിക്കൻ കമാൻഡ് (CENTCOM) ആക്രമണം നടത്തി. അമേരിക്കയ്ക്ക് ശക്തമായ തിരിച്ചടി നൽകുമെന്ന് ഇറാന്റെ സൈനിക നേതൃത്വം വ്യക്തമാക്കി. അമേരിക്കൻ എംക്യു-9 ഡ്രോൺ വെടിവെച്ചിട്ടതായി അവകാശപ്പെട്ട ഇറാൻ, കുവൈറ്റിന് നേരെയും മിസൈൽ-ഡ്രോൺ ആക്രമണം നടത്തി. ഇറാന്റെ എണ്ണ ഉൽപന്നങ്ങളുടെ വില്പനയ്ക്കുള്ള അനുമതി റദ്ദാക്കിയ അമേരിക്ക, ജൂലൈ 17-ഓടെ വ്യാപാരം പൂർണ്ണമായി അവസാനിപ്പിക്കാൻ നിർദ്ദേശം നൽകി.
(With inputs from Iranintl)
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