TEHRAN – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they launched retaliatory strikes against a US military base in Jordan and 21 other targets across the Gulf region following American attacks on Iranian military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation marks one of the most majorconfrontations between US and Iran since both sides agreed to a ceasefire in April, raising fresh concerns about regional stability and prospects for a negotiated end to the conflict.
According to Iranian state media, the strikes targeted locations in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain after the US military carried out operations against Iranian air defence systems, command facilities and surveillance radar installations near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the attacks were conducted in response to the downing of a US Apache helicopter by Iranian forces a day earlier.
US President Donald Trump defended the military action, saying the response to the helicopter incident had been “very strong” and “very powerful.”
A US official said nearly 20 Iranian targets were struck during the operation, which lasted about four hours. Iranian media reported attacks on Qeshm Island and the port city of Sirik, while explosions were also heard in Bandar Abbas and areas near Jask at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the Revolutionary Guards claimed they had fired long-range missiles at four major military targets in Jordan, including facilities linked to F-35 fighter aircraft and a US command centre in Al-Azraq. However, Jordan’s military said its air defence systems intercepted five Iranian missiles and reported no casualties or damage.
The confrontation quickly spread across the Gulf. Air raid sirens were activated in Bahrain after Iran claimed responsibility for attacks on a US military installation there. Bahraini authorities said the country’s air defences successfully intercepted incoming threats and urged residents to follow safety instructions.
In Kuwait, the military said its air defence systems were responding to hostile aerial targets after Iran announced drone strikes on the Ali Al-Salem Air Base. Iranian officials also claimed to have targeted assets linked to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and warned of stronger retaliation if hostilities continue.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signalled further resistance, stating that Iran’s armed forces would respond to any attack or threat against the country.
The renewed military exchanges have further complicated diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict, which began on February 28 following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran responded by targeting American interests in the Gulf and significantly disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
Despite earlier claims by President Trump that negotiations were nearing completion, the latest violence has cast doubt over the possibility of a breakthrough. Trump had recently suggested that an agreement could be reached within days, but military actions by both sides have continued.
The conflict has also affected neighbouring Lebanon, where fighting linked to the broader regional crisis persists. Lebanese officials reported that at least 11 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Tyre on Tuesday. Residents fled the area after evacuation warnings were issued by the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, concerns over global energy supplies intensified as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz increased. Oil prices rose in Asian trading on Wednesday amid fears that continued hostilities could further disrupt maritime traffic through the vital shipping route.
Iran has maintained that foreign military forces operating near the Strait of Hormuz face growing risks and has urged them to leave the area. Tehran argues that the waterway is jointly controlled by Iran and Oman and remains central to its security concerns.
The Apache helicopter shot down this week is the second confirmed US aircraft lost during the conflict after an F-15 fighter jet was brought down in April. US Central Command said both crew members aboard the helicopter were rescued after the aircraft crashed near the coast of Oman.
