60 targets struck, 18m barrels escorted: Inside the US military’s record day in Iran - The Times of India

**U.S. Navy Records Unprecedented Day of Operations in the Persian Gulf**

The United States Navy announced that, on Thursday, its forces conducted a record‑breaking series of actions in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that channels roughly one‑fifth of the world’s petroleum shipments. According to the Department of Defense, 60 Iranian‑linked targets were struck with precision‑guided munitions, while escort vessels shepherded more than 18 million barrels of oil—equivalent to the daily output of several major oil fields—through the congested channel without incident. The strikes, carried out by carrier‑based aircraft and surface combatants, were described by officials as “pre‑emptive defensive measures” aimed at neutralising threats to commercial shipping and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the region.

President Donald Trump, addressing the nation shortly after the operation, vowed to continue a “hard‑line” stance against Tehran, asserting that the United States would not hesitate to “hit Iran hard” if the regime persisted in endangering American interests. In a series of tweets, the president floated the idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait,” a proposal that drew sharp criticism from members of both parties. Senate Democrat Bernie Sanders rebuked the suggestion, calling it “the rhetoric of a mad king” and warning that such grandstanding could exacerbate already‑tense diplomatic relations. The White House, while not officially adopting the name change, reiterated its commitment to maintaining a robust naval presence and protecting the flow of energy supplies.

The escalated U.S. activity has prompted a mixed response from the international community. Allies in Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council have expressed support for the United States’ effort to keep the shipping lane open, but also urged restraint to avoid a broader conflagration. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard denounced the attacks as “unlawful aggression,” promising a proportional response, though Tehran has not yet announced any concrete retaliatory measures. Analysts note that the unprecedented scale of the operation underscores a shift toward more kinetic posturing in an already volatile theater, raising concerns that a miscalculation could trigger a wider conflict that would reverberate across global energy markets.