MIDDLE EAST — U.S. Central Command said Tuesday that its forces successfully completed a wave of strikes against Iranian military targets on September 1.
According to the Command, U.S. forces struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets including air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets and facilities, mine laying capabilities, and communications sites.
CENTCOM had earlier said the strikes began at 12:00 p.m. Eastern, which is 4:00 p.m. UTC. The command repeated that the strikes followed recent attempted IRGC attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and on American service members.
The completion notice said more than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East.
In a separate post the same day, before the completion notice, CENTCOM said that as of September 1 U.S. forces enforcing a blockade against Iran had redirected 84 commercial vessels, disabled 3, and boarded 2.
The command identified USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Arabian Sea on that enforcement mission and separately showed flight operations aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73).
U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia, U.S. Embassy Baghdad and Consulate General Erbil, U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi, and U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran each posted September 1 security alerts using the same core language: the security environment remains complex with potential for unforeseen escalation, and Americans in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and watch for flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.
The Department of State consular account repeated that language the same afternoon and added that Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target U.S. interests and locations associated with the United States worldwide.
Iranian state-run media described explosions on Qeshm Island, east of Bandar Abbas, and in Konarak and Chabahar. CENTCOM’s completion notice named target classes, not those sites. Virtual Embassy Iran told U.S. citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason and to leave Iran now.
Standing Department of State country advisory levels were not rewritten on September 1. Iran and Iraq remain Level 4: Do Not Travel. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia remain Level 3: Reconsider Travel on their last posted advisory pages.
