Following a fresh wave of U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure across the country, Iran claimed to have launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks against U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in the growing conflict.
The strikes came after the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had targeted Iranian command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal military sites to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
While Tehran said it had struck key American military assets in both countries, Jordan confirmed intercepting several Iranian missiles in its airspace, and U.S. officials had not immediately commented on Iran’s claims.
In an official statement, CENTCOM said it targeted Iranian military assets, command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone installations, as well as coastal surveillance facilities to safeguard the international maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz and maintain freedom of navigation.
During the operation, U.S. aircraft reportedly used precision-guided weapons against several locations, including Bandar Abbas.
Earlier, U.S. forces had also conducted a 90-minute bombardment of Iranian coastal defense and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that U.S. missiles struck the southern and western Iranian cities of Chabahar, Ahvaz, and Bandar Abbas. Three loud explosions were reportedly heard in Chabahar, where a U.S. missile allegedly hit a naval surveillance tower. In Ahvaz, a U.S. missile reportedly landed near a hospital treating cancer patients, although no casualties were reported.
Amid the escalating tensions, CENTCOM also claimed that it disabled a commercial tanker headed toward an Iranian port after it allegedly violated the U.S. blockade and ignored repeated warnings.
In response to the U.S. attacks, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had shot down an advanced U.S. MQ-9 strategic drone flying over the airspace of Andimeshk in southwestern Iran using a newly deployed air defense system.
Iranian armed forces and the IRGC also claimed on Thursday that they had targeted U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Jordan. Meanwhile, Jordan confirmed that it had successfully intercepted and destroyed several Iranian missiles that entered its airspace.
According to Iranian state media, the IRGC targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
In an official statement, the IRGC claimed it had successfully struck a gathering of U.S. troops at the base as well as an enemy early-warning radar system installed there.
As of now, neither the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) nor U.S. Central Command has issued an immediate response to these Iranian claims.
In addition to Kuwait, Iran also claimed to have attacked U.S. military assets in neighboring Jordan.
In a statement released through state media, the Iranian military said it had targeted the U.S. military’s communications systems and fuel storage tanks at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan.
Al Azraq Air Base is considered a major hub for U.S. troops and their regional air operations.
Calling for national unity, Ghalibaf urged Iranians to rely on and strengthen their own capabilities, stating that whether through war or negotiations, Iran’s primary objective is always the protection of its national interests.
