US military completes 12th straight night of strikes on Iran
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Wednesday it completed its latest round of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction, for a 12th successive night of American attacks.
Here are details and quotes:
• "U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets," the U.S. Central Command said in a statement.
• In July, U.S. forces have targeted dozens of Iranian military sites on land while resuming a blockade against Iran at sea, it added.
• The latest U.S. strikes lasted five hours, the military said.
• The Iran war began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases.
• U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed thousands and displaced millions.
• U.S. troop deaths have risen to 18 in recent days.
• Trump vowed on Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Trump has also previously threatened to target energy plants and bridges.
• Iran's joint military command warned that if the threat was carried out, its forces would target regional oil, gas, electricity and economic facilities, state media said.
• The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war prohibit attacks on sites considered essential for civilians.
• Such attacks may amount to war crimes, international law experts in the United States said in April, after Trump's threats.
• Trump's threat that month to destroy Iran's entire civilization also drew wide condemnation.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Clarence Fernandez)
