Iran launches retaliatory strikes on US bases in Gulf states as tensions escalate

Iran has confirmed it launched drone and missile attacks against United States military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, framing the operation as a direct retaliation for a fresh wave of American airstrikes on Iranian territory. The Iranian army stated that its forces targeted communication systems and fuel storage facilities in Jordan using suicide drones, while also striking radar systems, Patriot air defence units, and fuel storage at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. In Bahrain, Tehran claimed to have targeted facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base.

The escalation follows a directive from US President Donald Trump, who authorised a 90-minute daytime assault on Iranian command centres, air defence sites, and coastal surveillance facilities. US Central Command reported that the strikes also hit missile and drone capabilities, with significant impacts on Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest port and key naval installations on the Strait of Hormuz. In response to the intensifying conflict, the United States has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Regional allies of the United States confirmed defensive actions as Iranian projectiles entered their airspace. Jordan’s military announced via the state-run Petra news agency that it had shot down eight missiles launched by Iran. The Kuwaiti army stated it was actively engaging hostile drone attacks, while air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, prompting the interior ministry to urge citizens to seek safe shelter. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi condemned a separate drone incursion into the airspace of Erbil in the Kurdistan region, ordering security agencies to prevent further violations.

Casualty reports from the US strikes have emerged from Iranian state media, which cited officials stating that at least seven troops were killed at an army barracks and hundreds were wounded across the country. Explosions were reported in northern and western Tehran, as well as in the provinces of Lorestan and Semnan, though authorities in the capital reported no immediate casualties. Iranian officials have warned that they will target infrastructure across the region if the United States proceeds with threats to attack Iranian energy infrastructure.

Amidst the military escalation, diplomatic developments have unfolded on multiple fronts. President Trump announced that Iran had released an American citizen who had been wrongfully detained under the previous administration, describing the move as a gesture of goodwill. Concurrently, Lebanon and Israel agreed to implement pilot zones in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces would withdraw and transfer control to the Lebanese army. Meanwhile, Tehran has threatened to shut additional energy export routes, including the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, if the United States continues its attacks on Iranian infrastructure.