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U.S. Forces Blitz Iran During Trump’s Primetime Address
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U.S. Forces Blitz Iran During Trump’s Primetime Address

American forces carried out another large-scale round of airstrikes against Iran on Thursday night, with the latest operations concluding as President Donald Trump was delivering a nationally televised address focused primarily on election integrity.

According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes ended at approximately 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time and marked the sixth consecutive night of military operations targeting Iranian assets.

"Today at 9:40 p.m. ET, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed its latest major wave of strikes against Iran," CENTCOM announced on X.

The military said U.S. fighter aircraft, drones, and warships launched precision-guided munitions against dozens of military objectives.

"U.S. forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities," the statement read.


CENTCOM said the campaign is being conducted under President Trump's direction and is intended to reduce Iran's military capabilities while responding to recent attacks on commercial shipping.

"At the Commander in Chief's direction, CENTCOM is further degrading Iranian military capabilities and holding Iran accountable for recent attacks on commercial shipping," the command stated, noting that roughly 50,000 U.S. troops remain stationed throughout the Middle East.

Open-source intelligence account OSINTdefender highlighted one of the more visible results of the operation after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth released an image showing the collapse of a maritime control tower in Chabahar.

"After reportedly being targeted earlier this week during U.S. airstrikes on Iran's Chabahar maritime control tower, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has released an image showing the structure collapsing during today's latest wave of strikes," the account posted.

It also assessed that Thursday's operations appeared to be the largest of the renewed air campaign.

"Based on the duration and scope of today's operations, this appears to have been the most extensive and intense day of the renewed U.S. air campaign against Iran," the account wrote.


Iranian officials acknowledged that the continuing strikes are affecting parts of the country's infrastructure. According to The Times of Israel, Iran's Energy Ministry urged residents to reduce electricity usage by limiting air conditioner use during peak hours.

The ministry said the measure was intended to help maintain a stable power supply in southern provinces experiencing extreme heat while also dealing with attacks on electricity facilities.

The latest wave of strikes also reportedly expanded to transportation infrastructure.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. forces struck multiple bridges, including routes that could affect access to Bandar Abbas, Iran's largest commercial port. The outlet reported that the attacks appear designed to complicate transportation links between the port and Iran's interior.


Iranian authorities said seven people were killed in strikes on the coastal city of Bandar Khamir, located near the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that Iranian officials claimed six bridges were damaged during the latest round of attacks.

With six consecutive nights of strikes now completed, the campaign shows no immediate signs of slowing.

Written by Arthur Higgens - July 17, 2026