In a major escalation of the conflict, the US military attacked almost 2,000 targets on Iranian territory in less than 100 hours. According to Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US regional command Centcom, at least 17 Iranian warships and one central submarine were destroyed in the process. The goal of the operation was the complete neutralization of Iranian naval capabilities in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters.
The attacks also targeted air defense systems, ballistic missile launchers, and command centers. According to US information, there are currently no Iranian ships left in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman. However, this information could not be independently verified so far. US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the operation would continue as long as necessary. The use of ground troops ('Boots on the Ground') was explicitly not ruled out if it should be necessary to achieve the military objectives.
The economic consequences of the crisis are already being felt worldwide. As leading shipping insurers have largely suspended insurance coverage for the region, trade through the Strait of Hormuz has virtually come to a standstill. This affects about 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supply. In Germany, Green Party politician Katharina Dröge expressed concern about regional destabilization but at the same time expressed solidarity with the Iranian civilian population and their striving for a system change.
