U.S. Resumes Maritime Blockade Against Iran, Iran Strikes U.S. Military Facilities in the Middle East

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 15 - The U.S. military resumed its maritime blockade against Iran on the 14th, Eastern Daylight Time, and is discussing launching a "more extensive" large-scale offensive than the current operations; Iran claims to have struck U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and other locations.

The U.S. Central Command announced on social media on the 14th that the U.S. military had resumed its maritime blockade targeting vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. More than 20 U.S. Navy ships and hundreds of military aircraft are carrying out missions in the Middle East, and the U.S. military is prepared to respond to various situations at any time.

U.S. President Trump stated that unless Iran returns to the negotiating table, the U.S. military will strike its bridges and power plants next week. He also indicated that the possibility of sending ground troops to Iran cannot be ruled out. U.S. media also reported that Trump held a meeting in the White House Situation Room on the 14th to discuss plans for a large-scale offensive against Iran, stating that "the scale will be more extensive than the current operations around the Strait of Hormuz."

On the 14th, Trump also commented on halting the toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, saying that after he proposed a 20% fee for transporting goods through the Strait, several Middle Eastern countries called to express their willingness to make large-scale investments in the U.S., which he found "very satisfactory," thus "there is no need to impose a toll."

The U.S. Central Command reported on the 14th that the U.S. military had completed a new round of strikes against Iran lasting 7 hours that day. The U.S. military used fighter jets, drones, and naval vessels to strike dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and along the Iranian coastline, including Iran's missile and drone positions, naval combat forces, and coastal defense systems.

On the 15th, the U.S. Central Command announced the completion of another "morning strike" against Iran. The statement said that during a 90-minute strike, the U.S. military launched precision-guided munitions against the coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Great Tunb Island. This airstrike "further weakened Iran's ability to strike merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz."

Multiple Iranian media outlets reported that late on the 14th local time, explosions were heard in southern Iran's Qeshm Island, Abbas Port, Hengam Island, as well as in the southeastern city of Bam and the western city of Ahvaz. The Iranian Mehr News Agency reported early on the 15th, citing the Hormozgan provincial government, that gunfire occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, with explosions heard in coastal counties of the province, Abbas Port, and islands in the Persian Gulf.

Iranian government spokesman Mohajerani stated on social media on the 15th that over 30 civilians have died in recent U.S. attacks on southern Iran. Hussein Kermanshahi, head of public relations at the Iranian Ministry of Health, stated on social media that since the 7th of this month, U.S. airstrikes have injured over 260 people in Iran. The Iranian Army also issued a statement on the same day saying that the U.S. launched a missile attack on an army camp in the Bam area of Sistan and Baluchestan province early that morning, resulting in the deaths of 7 Iranian soldiers and injuries to several others.

The Iranian military stated on the 15th that it again launched a drone attack on the U.S. military base in Al Azraq, Jordan, damaging U.S. F-18 fighter jets and large equipment storage at the base. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also issued a statement saying that the U.S. military attacked multiple locations along the southern coast of Iran on the night of the 14th, to which Iran retaliated, damaging the U.S. military's military readiness and support center located in Kuwait. Iran also struck multiple U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, including the U.S. Fifth Fleet facility in Bahrain.

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior stated on social media early on the 15th that Bahrain has once again sounded its air defense alarm. The Kuwaiti military issued a statement early that day saying that Kuwaiti air defense forces intercepted "hostile drones." The Jordanian Armed Forces stated on the 15th that the Jordanian air defense system intercepted and shot down three ballistic missiles from Iran early that morning.