U.S. targets fortified Iranian missile positions near Strait of Hormuz
Pictured is the Iranian island of Qeshm, the largest island in the Strait of Hormuz and the eastern Persian Gulf. The Clarence Strait, visible in the photo, separates it from the mainland (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo)
The U.S. military struck fortified Iranian missile positions along the Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz overnight, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on March 18.
U.S. forces used several 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions against the fortified positions. The command reported that these facilities housed Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles, which posed a threat to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Reports of the strike specifically mention 5,000-pound (approximately 2,268 kg) munitions. Several publications also describe these weapons as bunker-buster bombs designed to destroy fortified targets.
This is one of the first publicly confirmed U.S. strikes specifically targeting Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz amid the threat to commercial vessels passing through the strategic route.
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked by the war in the Middle East, specifically because the Iranian military likely mined the shipping channel. The strait is the world's most critical export route for oil and liquefied natural gas, handling up to 20% of all global supplies.
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