US Drops 5,000-Pound Bombs On Iranian Missile Sites Near Strait Of Hormuz

Last Updated:March 18, 2026, 05:34 IST

The strikes may signal an effort to degrade Iran’s ability to target ships on the Strait of Hormuz, which has been virtually closed since the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The US Central Command said it had dropped 5,000-pound (2,267 kg) “deep penetrator munitions" on Iran, targeting Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz.

“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 US military said on X. “The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait."

The 5,000-pound “deep penetrator" munitions are bunker-buster weapons designed to destroy hardened or underground targets. The use of bunker-buster munitions indicates the strikes were aimed at fortified or underground launch and storage sites that are part of Iran’s broader coastal defence network.

The operation marks a drastic shift towards targeting maritime threats directly, as commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains near a standstill due to the war. The strikes may signal an effort to degrade Iran’s ability to target ships and set conditions for a potential reopening of the critical energy corridor

US President Donald Trump has called on several nations to help police the Strait of Hormuz ​after Iran responded ​to US-Israeli attacks ⁠by using drones, missiles and mines to effectively close the channel for tankers. This has choked global energy flows and hiked oil prices across the world.

However, several US allies they ​had no immediate plans to send ships to help ​unblock the ⁠strait, effectively rebuffing Trump’s plea for military support. Trump expressed frustration with NATO, saying they were making a “foolish mistake" by not joining the US effort.

“Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help. And we, you know, we as the United States have to remember that ​because we think it’s pretty shocking," he said. He also asserted that the US did not need assistance from any country, including Japan, Australia and South Korea.

News world US Drops 5,000-Pound Bombs On Iranian Missile Sites Near Strait Of Hormuz

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