Middle East crisis escalates: Iran attacks US bases in Jordan, Bahrain after US strikes kill 4 during wedding at home
Explosions believed to have been caused by missile interceptions were reported over Aqaba, where the US has military facilities.
PTC News Desk: The United States launched barrage of missiles on Iran on Tuesday, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military assets along the country's southern coast. Tehran responded with ballistic missiles and drone attacks on US-linked targets across the region, marking the most serious escalation between the two sides in several weeks.
The latest attacks have raised fears that the conflict, which has continued for more than six months, could intensify again. The fighting has already disrupted shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and pushed global energy prices higher. Oil prices increased by more than $4 a barrel, reaching their highest level in five weeks.
US Central Command said it had carried out a fresh round of strikes on targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The targets included air-defence systems, radar equipment, maritime assets, mine-laying facilities and communication centres.
The US said the strikes were launched in response to recent Iranian attempts to target commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and American troops stationed in the region.
Iran responded shortly afterwards. The IRGC described the attack as a "regretful response to the aggressors" and said the latest US strikes had only increased Tehran’s resolve to confront American forces.
The IRGC also claimed it had carried out a major ballistic missile attack on a US base in Jordan and had killed a large number of American troops. However, two US officials told Reuters that initial information showed no casualties at US facilities in Jordan. They added that the situation was still developing.
Iran retaliates across region
Jordan's military said 13 ballistic missiles entered its airspace during the Iranian attack. Its air-defence systems intercepted 10 missiles, while the other three landed in remote areas away from populated regions.
Explosions believed to have been caused by missile interceptions were reported over Aqaba, where the US has military facilities.
Iranian media also reported a major drone attack targeting a US base in Bahrain. Bahrain said its forces had detected and destroyed the Iranian drones.
Kuwait's army also said its air-defence systems were dealing with a hostile drone attack, following what it described as Iranian aggression.