Tehran: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that they launched missile and drone attacks against US military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
The escalation came after US forces carried out attacks on Iranian air-defence systems, radar installations and command facilities around the strategic waterway. US President Donald Trump said the operation was in response to the reported downing of a US Apache helicopter during an incident near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that the Revolutionary Guards targeted four locations at the US al-Azraq air base in Jordan with long-range missiles. The Guards claimed the strikes hit fighter jet hangars and command centres, warning that any further US action would trigger a stronger response.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted and destroyed five missiles launched toward al-Azraq, adding that falling debris caused no casualties or damage.
In Kuwait, air-defence systems were activated after Iran claimed to have targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base with drones. Bahrain also sounded warning sirens after Iranian forces announced drone attacks against facilities linked to the US Fifth Fleet.
The latest exchange marks one of the most serious confrontations between Washington and Tehran since a ceasefire was reached in April following the outbreak of war in late February. Despite repeated claims by President Trump that both sides are close to a broader agreement, the renewed violence has cast fresh doubt on prospects for a lasting settlement.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil and gas supplies passes, remains a central point of tension. Oil prices rose in early Asian trading on Wednesday as markets reacted to the escalation.
Trump described the Apache helicopter incident as ‘not a big deal’. Iran, meanwhile, denied conducting offensive air operations in the strait during the previous 24 hours and reiterated calls for foreign military forces to leave the region.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue, but analysts warn that the latest military exchanges could further complicate negotiations aimed at restoring stability and reopening maritime traffic through the strategically vital waterway.
