US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully completed the 13th straight night of strikes against Iran on Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. ET (4:00 a.m. Friday morning Israel time).
In a statement, CENTCOM said it targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
“The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with U.S. military support." said CENTCOM, which added that more than 50,000 US service members are currently operating across the Middle East.
Earlier, CENTCOM announced that US forces started another night of strikes against Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. ET on Thursday (1:45 a.m. Israel time on Friday morning).
Following the US announcement, Iranian media reported that explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz.
Explosions were later also heard along the southern coast of Qeshm Island.
Footage posted to social media appeared to show the strikes in Bandar Abbas.
Iran's Nour News agency reported that air defense systems were activated over the capital, Tehran, in an attempt to intercept what authorities described as a "hostile threat."
The latest US strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid that he is considering launching an attack on Iran on a scale beyond all previous attacks.
"I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it," Trump said.
The President added that Israel would join the US military's operation if he asked, but said that the US does not need the help in order to carry out the strikes he is considering.
Addressing the attempts to revive talks to end the conflict, Trump said that the Iranian regime has not "received enough pain yet."
Later on Thursday, Trump issued a direct warning to Iran, declaring that any physical damage caused to commercial ships or cargo in the region will be paid for directly using Iranian funds currently held and controlled by the United States.
“Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He added, “These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do."