The United States has carried out a new wave of airstrikes against Iran, saying the operation was launched in retaliation for the deaths of two American service members during attacks in Jordan, further escalating tensions between the two countries.
The US Central Command said the strikes, conducted overnight, targeted units of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps believed to have been responsible for the missile and drone attacks that killed the troops.
According to CENTCOM, the operation was intended to “swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan.”
The military also disclosed that another US service member remains missing following the attack, bringing the number of confirmed American military fatalities since the conflict escalated on February 28 to 16.
In response, Iran announced that it had launched drone attacks on two US military installations in Kuwait.
Iranian military officials claimed the strikes hit an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and damaged Patriot radar and air surveillance systems at Ali Al Salem Air Base.
Iran also reported fresh attacks on US-linked military positions in Jordan and Bahrain as hostilities spread across the Gulf region.
The renewed fighting has dashed hopes of a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the conflict, with both sides remaining locked in a dispute over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipments.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed that Washington would face severe consequences.
“We will teach the Americans an unforgettable lesson,” Khamenei said in a statement broadcast by Iranian state television.
Senior military adviser Major General Mohsen Rezaei also warned that Iran would resume “full-scale offensive operations” if US attacks persisted.
Similarly, Iran’s central military commander, Ali Abdollahi, said any further American military action would be met with a “decisive and devastating response.”
Iranian media reported that US strikes also targeted Sirik, a port city located along the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest exchanges follow weeks of growing military confrontation that began with Iranian attacks on vessels operating in the strategic waterway.
Iran subsequently closed the strait, while the United States later announced a blockade of Iranian ports, further heightening regional tensions.
Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured since the latest phase of fighting began.
The conflict has also affected neighbouring Gulf states. Kuwaiti authorities accused Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure, prompting concerns among residents over possible disruptions to essential services.
“The demand for water and canned goods has increased since this morning amid fears that services or supply chains will be affected,” Kuwaiti resident Hassan Rayan said.
Another resident, Ali Mahmoud, said, “The streets and beaches were almost empty, even though it is a holiday.”
Iranian state media also claimed that an air base used by US forces in Bahrain had been targeted, while reports indicated that fuel storage facilities at the Al-Azraq military base in Jordan were attacked.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted 10 missiles on Saturday after shooting down several others a day earlier.
Despite diplomatic efforts by international mediators, prospects for a ceasefire remain uncertain as both Washington and Tehran continue military operations.
President Donald Trump has previously warned that the US could target key Iranian infrastructure if attacks on American personnel continued, although Washington has not confirmed any direct strikes on such facilities.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities said recent US strikes in Hormozgan Province killed three people and injured eight others. Officials in Khuzestan Province also reported eight fatalities over the past 10 days.
Iran further accused the United States of attacking power infrastructure and desalination plants in the southern village of Bonji, resulting in disruptions to drinking water supplies in several communities.
