Renewed United States military strikes in southern Iran have killed at least 11 people and triggered a coordinated wave of retaliatory drone and missile attacks against US bases across Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq, according to reports from Iranian state media, regional militaries, and US Central Command (CENTCOM). The escalation on Wednesday marks the heaviest direct exchange of fire between Washington and Tehran in more than a month, expanding the six-month conflict deeper into the Gulf.
Regional Militaries Intercept Missiles as US Bases Take Fire
The widening conflict drew direct responses across the Middle East on Wednesday as Iranian forces targeted American military infrastructure. According to Iranian state media and regional reports, Tehran launched ballistic missiles at two US bases in Jordan. The Jordanian army stated that it successfully intercepted 10 ballistic missiles, while three others landed in remote areas without confirming any injuries or structural hits.
Simultaneously, air raid alerts sounded in Bahrain as Iran’s army announced drone strikes targeting US forces stationed at an air base on the island, a key Washington ally. In Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) utilized missiles and drones to strike US facilities, reportedly destroying a maintenance center, warehouses, and equipment, as documented by state-run IRNA. Furthermore, Kuwait’s military reported that its air defenses were actively responding to Iranian hostilities after missile and drone attacks were registered in the country.
CENTCOM Details Counter-Strikes Following Maritime Standoff
The latest round of hostilities began when Washington launched attacks on Iranian targets on Sunday—marking the first known US strikes in several weeks. According to CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins, the US military struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island to prevent Tehran from planting sea mines in the vital shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump stated that these “large and powerful” operations were direct retaliation for an attempted mine-laying effort and an earlier failed missile barrage targeting a US base in Jordan.
Additional US strikes followed on Tuesday, hitting an airport in Kerman province and various southern locations along the Hormuz strait, according to Iranian state television. While the US military maintained that its forces do not target civilians, local reports cited significant casualties from the aerial operations. Iranian officials reported that shrapnel from a US missile strike killed four people, including a child, in Kuhestak, while a separate missile attack in Khuzestan province left seven dead and eight wounded.
Stalled Diplomacy and Divergent Stances on the Strait of Hormuz
Six months into the war, which began in late February with US-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, diplomatic efforts remain completely deadlocked. Iran has maintained a closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which one-fifth of global oil supplies previously flowed—while the United States continues a strict counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Maritime risk management firm Marisks noted that two crude tankers were struck by unknown projectiles earlier in the week, though the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported no casualties or environmental damage from those incidents.
Despite the ongoing exchanges, President Trump dismissed reports that the latest military actions were designed to force Iran back to the negotiating table. On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that he is satisfied with the current status quo, exercising near-total control over the Hormuz Strait while Iran’s economy collapses. In response, Iranian officials vowed severe retaliation. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the armed forces have unforgettable lessons in store for Washington, while Ebrahim Zolfaghari cautioned that any country cooperating with the American army will face increasingly destructive responses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the latest round of US and Iranian strikes?
According to CENTCOM, the US military launched strikes on Sunday to neutralize Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island intended for laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following an attempted attack on US troops in Jordan.
Which countries have reported incoming strikes or interceptions?
The Jordanian army reported intercepting 10 ballistic missiles, while military and state sources in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region also reported incoming drone and missile hostilities directed at US assets.
What is the current status of the Strait of Hormuz?
The strategic waterway remains closed by Iran amid an ongoing US counter-blockade of Iranian ports, keeping diplomatic efforts to end the six-month conflict at a complete impasse.
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