The United States conducted a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
The strikes targeted coastal defense systems, cruise missile storage, and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute wave, CENTCOM said.
While Iran has had control over the island since 1971, the United Arab Emirates has maintained its claim to the territory.
Iranian state-affiliated media Fars reported that the US also struck a position on Hengam Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM originally announced the strikes minutes after Iranian media reported explosions in the city of Shiraz in southern Iran on Wednesday afternoon, though no further details were provided about the incident.
This wave came after the US completed seven hours of strikes against Iran early on Wednesday morning, involving aircraft, drones and naval vessels. According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted missile and drone sites, naval assets, and coastal defenses to similarly reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.
Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said earlier on Wednesday that air defenses around the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran had been activated. Mehr news agency said there had been no official comment so far.
US has been carrying out strikes against Iran in past days
In addition, Mehr attributed sounds of explosions in Iran's Sirik and eastern Hormozgan to clashes in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz, shortly after Iran's official IRNA News Agency reported US strikes on the Iranian island of Hengam.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran's semi-official news outlet Tasnim cited local Chabahar officials as denying claims of an explosion in the area.
The US strikes have been ongoing, with CENTCOM stating on Monday that they had hit dozens of targets across multiple cities, including Iranian military air defense systems, radar sites, small boats, and missile and drone capabilities.
US one-way sea attack drones were used for the first time in the July 13 strikes, CENTCOM added, saying that precise munitions, fighter aircraft, aerial drones, and naval vessels were all utilized in the operation.
CENTCOM asserted that US forces are postured and prepared to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open for commercial shipping, “despite Iran’s continued unwarranted aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations.”
Danya Saperstein, Goldie Katz, Jerusalem Post Staff, and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.