Washington, United States – US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced, in an official statement issued by it, that US forces, under the direct guidance of the Supreme Commander, have ended their military operations, which they described as “self-defense strikes” against Iranian targets. This came at the end of a series of field responses that came against the backdrop of the downing of an Apache helicopter belonging to the US Army last Monday.
Details of military operations
In its statement, CENTCOM explained that its forces conducted precision strikes targeting Iranian air defense systems and ground-based command and control centers. Additionally, strategic surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz were targeted. The command emphasized that these operations were a “proportionate and limited response” to repeated attacks targeting US forces and international commercial vessels in the region’s vital waterways. It further stressed that the United States remains on high alert and fully prepared to defend its personnel and interests against what it described as “unprovoked Iranian aggression.”
Denials and conflicting statements
Meanwhile, reports conflicted regarding the scale of the Iranian response. The New York Times quoted a senior US official as saying that “the claims promoted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard about carrying out 21 attacks against American bases in the region are completely false and baseless.”
On the other hand, Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, citing informed US sources, reported that Tehran launched an attack involving the firing of at least four ballistic missiles. Additionally, a number of drones were directed toward US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
This announcement of the end of the strikes comes at a time of growing concern in regional and international capitals about the region sliding into open military confrontation. While the United States is deploying its military might to ensure maritime security and prevent a recurrence of helicopter downings, political assessments indicate that the coming hours will be crucial in determining whether this escalation can be contained or will widen. This is occurring amidst intensive diplomatic calls for restraint and the avoidance of further military operations that could threaten the stability of the entire region.
