US strikes Iranian missile sites near Strait of Hormuz with “deep penetrator” bombs

2026-03-18 - 14:30

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military said Tuesday it carried out strikes on Iranian missile sites near the strategic Strait of Hormuz using heavy “deep penetrator” munitions.In a statement posted on X, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces used multiple 5,000-pound munitions against hardened missile positions along Iran’s coastline.“The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait,” CENTCOM said.There was no immediate comment from Iranian authorities on the strikes.The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil shipments passing through it.The waterway has been at the center of global energy concerns since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced restrictions on vessel movement in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks that began on Feb. 28.