US Forces Release Video of Destruction of Iran's Shahid Kalantari Port Surveillance Tower

WASHINGTON, July 17: The United States said its forces destroyed a surveillance tower at Shahid Kalantari Port in Chahbahar, describing it as a key component of Iran's maritime surveillance network used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to monitor and target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the US military, the surveillance tower had been used for decades by the IRGC to track vessels transiting the strategic waterway. Officials said its destruction would significantly reduce Iran's ability to coordinate attacks against commercial ships and civilian crews operating in the region.

The United States said the strike was aimed at protecting freedom of navigation in regional waters and safeguarding international maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.

US officials added that the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to enforce the US naval blockade against Iran, noting that the measures are intended to prevent vessels from violating the blockade while ensuring the safe passage of legitimate commercial shipping.

The strike comes amid escalating military tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides exchanging attacks on military and strategic infrastructure across the region.