US Ends Third Iran Strike Round; Bandar Abbas Hit, Second Vessel Claimed

American forces completed their third round of strikes against Iran on July 13, hitting approximately 140 military targets. Explosions were confirmed in Bandar Abbas, Iran's main southern port city, as CENTCOM announced the raids had ended.

The strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including sites CENTCOM said were used to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Previous rounds hit targets on July 7 and July 9.

Additional blasts were reported in the port towns of Sirik and Jask.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it stopped a second commercial ship in the Strait, saying it had ignored warnings. The IRGC's announcement had not been independently confirmed by US or Western military sources as of July 13.

Iran's military also said its forces shot down a US drone over Bandar Abbas. That claim was not verified by CENTCOM.

The Strait of Hormuz had been formally declared closed by the IRGC on July 12 after the corps struck the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy, causing an engine-room fire and leaving one crew member missing.

As of July 13, both US and Iranian forces were claiming control of the waterway.