The United States launched a 12th continuous night of strikes against targets in Iran, according to the article, while Tehran threatened further attacks across the Gulf region and warned that no infrastructure remains safe unless its security is guaranteed. US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated late on Wednesday that the military actions were deployed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels navigating regional waters.
Regional Escalation and Infrastructure Strikes
Iranian media reported attacks across Bushehr, Ahvaz, Jask, Andimeshk, and Sirik in southern Iran, while the deputy governor of Khuzestan province said that two people had been killed and 11 wounded in a missile attack on the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iran and Iraq. Kuwait said that its air defences had confronted an Iranian drone attack.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for additional strikes targeting US military installations in Kuwait. According to an IRGC statement, the operations retaliated against Washington rather than the Kuwaiti populace. The group reported destroying a large military equipment warehouse, a Patriot missile defence system, and an MQ-9 drone hangar at Ali al-Salem airbase. The IRGC also claimed strikes on US personnel quarters, two helicopter hangars at the Al-Adiri barracks, and a telecommunications tower. Addressing the Kuwaiti public directly, the IRGC asserted that US forces violated national sovereignty by occupying local lands.
Further west, the IRGC stated it destroyed several US military assets in Jordan, including a radar for the THAAD missile defence system, a Patriot battery, a C-RAM radar, and a helicopter hangar, as aired on state television. In response to the US campaign, Iranian strikes have hit multiple allied territories, including water and power infrastructure in Kuwait.
Diplomatic Impasse and Maritime Security
Chief Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf delivered a stark warning via X on Wednesday following threats from US President Donald Trump to target additional Iranian power plants and bridges. Ghalibaf stated that no one will sell oil in a region where Iranian exports are blocked, adding that no infrastructure will be safe if national security is absent. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure, an action defined as a war crime under international law unless used for military purposes, according to established legal standards.
The Iranian Ministry of Health reported that US strikes since late last month have killed 53 people, including three children, and injured 590 others. Meanwhile, a prior attack on an airbase in Jordan killed three US service members, and a fourth soldier died in Erbil, Iraq, during the controlled detonation of an attack drone. These fatalities brought the total US military death toll in the conflict to 18, according to US figures.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran would retaliate in an eye-for-an-eye manner against future aggression targeting domestic infrastructure. Georgetown University in Qatar professor Mehran Kamrava told Al Jazeera that neither side wants to project weakness by backing down, though he noted that Iran is running out of regional targets to strike without incurring lasting damage to its standing.
President Trump raised geopolitical stakes on Wednesday by declaring that the US will strike an Iranian power plant or bridge every time Iranian forces target a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that the US president had enough of waiting and that credible mediators are currently absent.
While CENTCOM maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for transit despite IRGC threats, the IRGC reported an explosion set a tanker ablaze after it attempted to traverse an unauthorized route. Concurrently, Iran-allied Houthi forces in Yemen declared a blockade of Saudi ports in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, prompting five commercial tankers to alter their course in the Red Sea.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Manila on Wednesday that Iran remains uncommitted to genuine diplomacy despite ongoing diplomatic outreach to Washington. Rubio affirmed that the US and its allies will take necessary protective measures if negotiations fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are US forces conducting strikes in Iran?
According to CENTCOM, the strikes aim to degrade Iran’s capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.
How many US service members have been killed in the conflict?
The US military reports that 18 service members have died since the war began, including casualties in Jordan and Iraq.
What is the status of the Strait of Hormuz?
CENTCOM states the strait remains open for transit, though ongoing attacks and a recent tanker fire highlight severe maritime security risks.
What infrastructure has been targeted during the conflict?
Both sides have targeted critical civilian infrastructure, including power plants, roads, water facilities, and military logistics hubs across Iran, Kuwait, and Jordan.
Stay informed on evolving international developments. Subscribe to our newsletter or explore our related coverage for continuous updates on the Gulf crisis.