Washington, 18 March (H.S.): In a bold escalation amid the intensifying US-Iran conflict, American forces have unleashed 5,000-pound deep penetrator bombs—commonly known as bunker-busters—on fortified Iranian missile installations lining the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to neutralize threats to global shipping lanes.
The US Central Command confirmed the strikes in a terse statement, noting that the munitions effectively targeted anti-ship cruise missile batteries along Iran's coastline, which had endangered international maritime traffic through the strait—a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
This operation marks the first major US pushback since Tehran sealed off the vital waterway in reprisal for coordinated assaults by the United States and Israel, triggering widespread disruptions in energy markets and spiking global oil prices.
President Donald Trump, rebuked by NATO allies and other partners who declined his urgent appeals for minesweepers and naval support, voiced frustration over the lack of solidarity despite America's historical bolstering of the alliance.
He argued that collective action was imperative to thwart Iran's purported nuclear ambitions—claims Tehran steadfastly refutes, insisting its program serves peaceful energy needs.
Undeterred, Trump embraced the unilateral burden, framing the campaign as a global safeguard guided by his strategic instincts, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's longstanding advocacy shaped the confrontation's trajectory.
These precision weapons, each costing approximately $288,000 based on prior military assessments, excel at breaching deeply entrenched or hardened targets, though they pale in potency compared to the 30,000-pound behemoths deployed against Iranian nuclear facilities the previous year.
The raid underscores Washington's resolve to restore passage through the strait, amid a broader war theater where Iranian reprisals, including missile salvos, have met with relentless counterstrikes on security infrastructure.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
