US launches second night of strikes against Iran after ship struck by drone
For the second consecutive day, the United States has carried out military strikes against Iranian targets, citing an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged tanker Kiku in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Saturday that it conducted strikes at the direction of the Commander in Chief, targeting Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities.
The attacks followed a similar pattern to Friday's strikes, with explosions reported near the village of Tahrui in southern Iran, close to the port of Sirik.
The latest round of strikes was triggered by an attack on the Panama-flagged tanker Kiku early Saturday morning. The vessel, carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil, was hit by a one-way attack drone while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries or oil leakage were reported.
This incident mirrored the events that led to Friday's US strikes: a Singapore-registered container ship, the Ever Lovely, was struck by a drone on Thursday while sailing through the same strait. US President Donald Trump condemned that strike as a "foolish violation" of the June 17 ceasefire memorandum of understanding. After Friday's US strikes, Iran retaliated by hitting US military installations in the Middle East.
CENTCOM stated that after Friday's actions, Iran was given a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement but chose not to, as evidenced by the drone strike on the Kiku. The command confirmed that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would continue with US military backing. "US forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," CENTCOM said in its statement.
