This week, the U.S. launched another major round of strikes across Iran, targeting approximately 90 military sites, including coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile batteries, drone launch positions, command networks, and IRGC naval assets around Hormuz.
Tehran responded within hours with missile and drone attacks against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar while insisting it will continue enforcing its own navigation regime through the Strait.
For Tehran, control of Hormuz is now the top strategic objective. Western intelligence assessments conclude that Tehran is prepared to accept renewed military escalation rather than relinquish control over commercial traffic through the strait.
Despite repeated U.S. strikes against coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile batteries, drone launch positions, and IRGC naval assets, Iran is not backing down on Hormuz.
Iran’s strategy doesn’t depend on sustained naval superiority. Periodic attacks against individual ships are sufficient to raise commercial costs, reinforce Iranian leverage, and preserve uncertainty across Gulf energy exports.
