U.S. Central Command announced on the 17th (local time) via social media that it had struck an Iranian missile base in the Strait of Hormuz. [Photo=U.S. Central Command] 

The U.S. military has struck a missile base on the Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz with a bunker buster, also known as a "bunker buster." Amid escalating military tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil transport, analyses suggest this attack could go beyond a simple airstrike and lead to the next phase of the war.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on the social media platform X on the 17th (local time), "A few hours ago, U.S. forces employed multiple 5,000-pound penetrating bunker buster munitions against hardened missile sites on the Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz."

CENTCOM further explained, "Iran's anti-ship cruise missiles deployed at these sites posed a threat to international shipping traversing the strait."

Penetrating bunker busters are weapons designed to penetrate soil, rock, and concrete structures before exploding internally, and are used to destroy underground facilities or hardened military bases. This attack appears to have directly targeted the missile bases and underground facilities Iran has been building in coastal areas.

Military experts are focusing on the fact that this airstrike is not a mere warning shot but rather an operation aimed at crippling Iran's ability to blockade the strait. Iran has maintained a strategy of threatening maritime traffic routes by establishing anti-ship missile bases along the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime transport route through which approximately 20% of the world's crude oil passes. Military conflicts in this area could have significant repercussions for the global energy market.

The timing of this attack is particularly noteworthy.

Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump has requested major maritime nations, including South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France, to dispatch warships to protect the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the response from allied nations has generally been cautious or passive.

Against this backdrop, the U.S. military's direct strike on Iranian missile bases near the strait is being interpreted not merely as a military action, but as the beginning of an "Iran blockade operation" that preemptively eliminates Iran's ability to blockade the strait and intensifies pressure on the country.

South Korea, the U.S., and Japan had previously analyzed that the next phase of this conflict would likely involve maritime pressure and blockade strategies centered on the Strait of Hormuz. This U.S. bunker buster airstrike is seen as the first instance where this "second act of war" has materialized into actual military operations.

Military experts anticipate that future U.S. strategy may involve the phased elimination of Iranian coastal assets around the strait. In such a scenario, additional targets could include anti-ship missile bases, radar facilities, and mobile launchers, forming part of the coastal defense network.

Furthermore, the possibility of the U.S. Navy and allied navies expanding escort operations for merchant vessels and maritime surveillance in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, thereby strengthening maritime control, is also being raised.

Ultimately, this airstrike is being evaluated not just as an attack on missile bases, but as an event demonstrating that the focus of the war is shifting from military confrontation to a blockade strategy aimed at pressuring Iran.