U.S. strikes Iran after ‘attempted attacks on shipping’; four projectiles hit areas east of Strait of Hormuz, state media says - The Hindu

**U.S. Strikes Iran Following Reported Attacks on Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz**

Washington announced a series of airstrikes against Iranian targets on Sunday after Iranian state media reported that four projectiles landed in the waters east of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were aimed at “military facilities that support Iran’s hostile activities” and were conducted in direct response to “attempted attacks on commercial shipping” that threatened the free flow of oil and goods through the narrow waterway. The Pentagon did not disclose the exact number of aircraft or munitions used, but described the operation as “limited, precise, and proportionate” to the alleged threat.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that the projectiles, which it said were launched from Iranian‑controlled territory, struck near the Iranian‑UAE maritime border but caused no casualties. In a televised address, IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari warned that any further U.S. aggression would be met with “a larger and more decisive response,” echoing President Donald Trump’s earlier rhetoric that any escalation could become “the biggest attack” the United States has ever faced. Tehran also pledged to bolster its defensive capabilities around the Strait, a chokepoint that handles roughly a fifth of global petroleum shipments.

The latest exchange adds to a series of confrontations that have heightened regional tensions since early 2024, when the United States began accusing Iran of orchestrating a wave of missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels transiting the Hormuz corridor. While U.S. officials maintain that the strikes were defensive, Iranian officials accuse Washington of violating international law and destabilizing the Gulf. Diplomatic channels remain active, with the United Nations urging both parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation that could disrupt global energy markets.