Washington (TDI): The US military has carried out a “heavy wave of strikes” against Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s missile attacks on American bases in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation after a nearly week-long pause in fighting.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck dozens of targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including military command centres.
“The strikes aimed to further diminish threats posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries,” CENTCOM said. The renewed US strikes came after Iran launched missiles at Jordan, its first regional attack in several days. US President Donald Trump had vowed to respond with force.
Iranian state media reported strikes in several areas of southwestern Khuzestan province, including Abadan, Shadegan, Arvandkenar and Ahvaz, as well as on Qeshm Island in the Gulf. Three people, including a two-year-old child, were killed in a US strike on a residential building on Qeshm Island. Two other children were reportedly injured.
Read More: Oil Climbs Nearly 4% on Escalating US-Iran Conflict
The conflict also spread across other parts of the region. Jordan’s army said it intercepted five Iranian missiles after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for targeting US bases in the country.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the United States carried out joint strikes against Iran-aligned militant positions in Iraq following two days of drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, which Riyadh blamed on armed groups allied with Tehran.
Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi alliance said at least 20 of its members were killed in the strikes, while Iraqi officials said five Iranian advisers were also among the dead. Baghdad condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and said it would oppose any action threatening Iraq or neighbouring countries.
Read More: US–Saudi Strikes in Iraq End Brief Pause in the Iran Conflict
The escalation has also raised fresh concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked and stopped three tankers in the waterway and reiterated that Tehran has “full control” of the strait. Iran has also announced plans to charge fees for ships using the route, a move opposed by Washington.
The US has imposed new sanctions on entities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, accusing them of extorting vessels transiting the strait.
Meanwhile, Israel accused Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire after it allegedly deployed a drone against an Israeli vehicle inside Lebanon. Israel has not yet joined the latest round of US strikes against Iran.
The renewed fighting has dashed hopes of an immediate return to negotiations. The US had previously said the pause in hostilities was intended to create space for diplomacy, including talks over the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
