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The U.S. military dropped 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on underground Iranian missile sites along the country’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command.
The strikes targeted hardened missile facilities that officials said posed a threat to international shipping through the strategic Persian Gulf waterway.
“Hours ago, US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” the regional command said on X around.
“The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait,” CENTCOM added.
A U.S. official told CNN the weapons used in the attack were GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator bombs, a type of munition designed to destroy deeply buried targets. The weapon was first deployed by U.S. aircraft in 2021.
According to a 2021 U.S. Air Force release, the bomb was developed to “overcome hardened, deeply buried target challenges and designed for both fighter and bomber aircraft.”
The strikes come as fighting between the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Iran has effectively closed the passage using mines, drones and naval vessels, halting about 27 percent of global maritime energy shipments and pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel.
President Donald Trump has criticized several European allies, including France and the United Kingdom, for declining to assist U.S. efforts to reopen the shipping corridor.
U.S. Central Command said operations targeting Iranian military capabilities will continue.
The United States will “continue to rapidly deplete Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
“Our progress remains steady, and we remain vigilant against the enemy,” Cooper added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he and President Trump have agreed to cooperate on the Strait of Hormuz issue. “There is coordination between our air forces and navies. We will assist both through indirect actions that place immense pressure on the Iranian regime and through direct operations. There are many more surprises ahead.”
