U.S. Central Command launched airstrikes against Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites on June 26, 2024 [2].

The military action follows a drone attack on June 25, 2024 [1], which targeted the Singapore-flagged vessel MV Ever Lovely in the Strait of Hormuz [1]. Because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical global trade route, the incident threatens the stability of international shipping, and energy markets.

U.S. officials said the strikes were a direct response to Iran’s violation of a recently-brokered cease-fire and its attack on commercial shipping [1]. The targets included facilities on the Iranian mainland, specifically sites located near Kharg Island [2].

President Donald Trump said, "We will hit Iran very hard" [1]. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) said, "Violence will be met with violence" [1].

Following the operation, President Trump said that Iran’s drone capacity is down 82 percent and its missile capacity is down 80 percent [3]. These specific figures were not included in reports from other major news outlets, which noted only that the strikes targeted Iranian facilities [2].

The U.S. military operation aimed to degrade the capabilities used to launch the drone that struck the MV Ever Lovely [1]. The vessel was operated by an unnamed shipping company at the time of the attack [1].

“Violence will be met with violence.”

This escalation signifies a breakdown in the recently established cease-fire agreement between the U.S. and Iran. By targeting infrastructure near Kharg Island and coastal radar sites, the U.S. is attempting to signal that any interference with commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz will result in the direct degradation of Iran's strategic military assets.