U.S. launches ‘powerful strikes’ against Iran, citing attacks on commercial ships

U.S. forces launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran late Tuesday, officials said, citing a desire to impose costs on Tehran following Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement issued shortly after 5 p.m. that it had begun “powerful strikes” in response to attacks on vessels that had been “crewed by innocent civilians” in the Strait of Hormuz. The vital waterway has been at the center of tensions between Washington and Tehran for months.