US completes ninth night of strikes on Iran as conflict expands to Jordan and Bahrain
US Central Command targets Iranian military infrastructure to secure the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claims retaliatory strikes on US facilities in Jordan and oil tankers in the Gulf.
The United States has completed its ninth consecutive night of military strikes against Iran, with US Central Command confirming the conclusion of the latest wave of attacks at 02:00 GMT on Monday. The operations, which targeted Iranian military command centres, air defence systems, and maritime capabilities, were launched in response to the death of a US service member in northern Iraq. The soldier died during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump stated that the sustained campaign was conducted to honour American service members killed in the conflict, specifically referencing three fatalities: two in Jordan and one in Iraq. The President told reporters that the strikes were intended to ensure Iran could not acquire a nuclear weapon, describing the deceased personnel as "great patriots" who were fighting to prevent such an outcome.
In response to the US offensive, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed a series of retaliatory actions across the region. The IRGC reported that two oil tankers exploded in the southern Strait of Hormuz late on Sunday, alleging the vessels were attempting to transit under US coercion. The group warned that the strategic waterway would remain unsafe for the transport of oil and gas as long as US military operations continued.
The IRGC also claimed to have launched ballistic missiles at US C-17 transport planes and P-8 aircraft at Aqaba airport in Jordan, stating that several aircraft were heavily damaged. Additionally, the group asserted that 20 hangars housing US forces at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq were destroyed. These claims come amid reports of a vessel catching fire approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman, though the cause remains unverified by the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency.
Tensions have prompted immediate safety warnings for American citizens in the region. The US embassy in Bahrain issued a directive urging Americans to remain vigilant and seek immediate shelter if warning sirens sound, citing intelligence that Iran may target unspecified locations in central Manama. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that Tehran would only consider ending the war when it had secured the "upper hand in the field," emphasising that negotiations should follow reliable military achievements.
