CENTCOM Says US Completes New Wave of Strikes on IRGC Targets in Iran
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: The United States has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets, including air-defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and communications facilities, US Central Command said, as renewed fighting between Washington and Tehran intensifies across the Middle East.
CENTCOM said in an official statement that US forces carried out the strikes on September 1 against targets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The US military said the operation hit air-defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
CENTCOM described the operation as a “wave of strikes”, meaning its announcement confirmed completion of this particular phase of attacks rather than an end to US military operations against Iran.
More than 50,000 US service members remain deployed across the Middle East and are prepared to conduct further operations if directed by President Donald Trump, according to CENTCOM.
CENTCOM Links Strikes to Hormuz and Threats to US Forces
The US military said the latest operation followed what it described as recent attempted IRGC attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members.
That justification should be attributed directly to Washington.
The US has accused Iran of attempting to use mines and other military capabilities to threaten shipping through Hormuz. Tehran has separately portrayed its actions around the strategic waterway as retaliation for US military pressure and restrictions affecting Iranian oil exports.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation because of its importance to global energy supplies.
Before the latest disruptions, approximately 20% of global oil consumption passed through the waterway, making any prolonged interruption a major risk to international energy markets.
Fresh Strikes Targeted IRGC Military Capabilities
CENTCOM’s official statement provides the clearest confirmed list of target categories.
According to the command, US forces struck:
- Air-defence sites
- Radar systems
- Maritime assets and facilities
- Mine-laying capabilities
- Communications sites
CENTCOM did not provide a complete public list of individual locations struck, the number of weapons used or a comprehensive battle-damage assessment in its announcement.
For that reason, claims about the destruction of specific facilities or exact Iranian military losses should not be treated as confirmed unless separately verified.
Reuters also reported that Axios said the United States targeted two Iranian government-owned oil tankers during the operation. However, that element was not included in CENTCOM’s official list of targets and therefore remains separately sourced rather than officially confirmed by the command in this statement.
Iran Responds With Missiles and Drones
Iran retaliated against the renewed American strikes by launching missiles and drones at US-linked military targets across the region.
Iran said it targeted American assets in Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq, while other Iranian attacks or attempted attacks affected additional Gulf states.
Iranian authorities claimed their retaliatory operations caused casualties and significant damage to American military facilities.
Those claims remain disputed.
US officials said initial assessments found no American casualties from the Iranian attack in Jordan, while Bahrain and Kuwait reported intercepting Iranian aerial threats.
The conflicting accounts mean Iranian claims about US casualties should remain explicitly attributed rather than reported as confirmed battlefield facts.
Civilian Casualties Reported in Iran
The renewed US attacks have also generated allegations of civilian casualties.
Iranian authorities said a US strike hit or damaged a residential property hosting a wedding celebration in Kuhestak, Sirik county, near the Strait of Hormuz.
Later reporting put the toll at five civilians killed, including a four-year-old child, with between 50 and 68 people injured.
The incident requires careful wording.
Iran says the damage resulted from a US attack, while CENTCOM says the broader operation targeted Iranian military infrastructure. The available evidence does not establish that US forces deliberately selected the wedding celebration itself as a military target.
The Associated Press reported that US strikes were directed at Iranian military targets while also noting civilian casualties from the renewed fighting.
Trump Calls Strikes ‘Justified’
US President Donald Trump defended the latest military action, describing the strikes as “justified” and warning Iran against further retaliation.
Trump said additional Iranian attacks could prompt even larger US strikes.
His comments followed renewed confrontation after a period of reduced direct military exchanges between Washington and Tehran.
The latest fighting followed a US attack on Iran’s Larak Island, where Washington said Iranian launchers involved in deploying mines into the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted. Iran subsequently fired missiles at US bases in Jordan.
The cycle of strikes has now widened again, raising the risk that US installations and host countries across the Middle East could become increasingly exposed to Iranian retaliation.
Iran Warns Hormuz Restrictions Could Intensify
Iran has linked the military confrontation to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC warned that continued American attacks would lead to further restrictions on movement through the strategic waterway.
Commercial shipping has already been disrupted by the conflict, while attacks on tankers in and around the strait have increased concerns over the safety of energy exports.
Washington says its operations are intended partly to counter Iranian capabilities threatening commercial vessels.
Tehran, meanwhile, has argued that it will not accept a situation in which Iranian oil exports are constrained while other Gulf producers continue shipping freely.
The competing positions have transformed Hormuz from an economic pressure point into one of the principal military flashpoints of the conflict.
Oil Prices Rise as Conflict Escalates
The renewed fighting immediately affected international energy markets.
Brent crude rose $1.03 to $95.68 per barrel on Wednesday, while US West Texas Intermediate gained 61 cents to $90.83, after both benchmarks had already risen by more than $4 during Tuesday’s session.
Markets are particularly sensitive to developments around Hormuz because any sustained disruption could affect crude and fuel exports from several major Gulf producers.
The conflict has therefore developed consequences extending well beyond Iran and the United States, including higher shipping risks, insurance costs and potential inflationary pressure for energy-importing economies.
Completion of ‘Wave’ Does Not Mean US Campaign Is Over
CENTCOM’s wording requires an important distinction.
The command said it had “successfully completed a wave of strikes” against Iranian military targets on September 1.
It did not announce that US military operations against Iran had ended.
Indeed, CENTCOM explicitly said the more than 50,000 American personnel operating across the Middle East remained prepared to carry out additional operations if ordered.
The Express Urdu headline accurately describes completion of a phase or wave of fresh strikes, but this should not be interpreted as a ceasefire or termination of the wider US military campaign.
With Iran continuing retaliatory operations and Trump warning of larger attacks if Tehran strikes again, the risk of another round of US-Iran military action remains high.
