- Missile and Drone Attacks Target Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan Amid Escalating Strait of Hormuz Conflict
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON: Iran launched coordinated missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan early Thursday in retaliation for an expanded US military campaign inside Iran, marking another significant escalation in the conflict centered on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks came hours after the United States carried out a fresh wave of airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure and reinforced its naval blockade around the Islamic Republic, further heightening tensions across the Gulf region.
Iran Says US Military Facilities Were Targeted
Iran’s military announced that it had launched drone attacks against US military installations in Jordan in response to what it described as American aggression.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the Iranian Army targeted US communication systems and fuel storage facilities in Jordan using suicide (kamikaze) drones.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed responsibility for strikes on the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, saying it had targeted an early-warning radar system and areas where US troops were stationed.
Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain Respond
Jordan’s military said it intercepted and destroyed eight Iranian missiles aimed at the kingdom, while state-run Petra news agency confirmed the successful operation.
Kuwaiti authorities reported that the country’s air defense systems intercepted four missiles and 21 drones launched toward the country. Officials said the attacks caused material damage but resulted in no casualties.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain as authorities urged residents to immediately seek shelter in designated safe locations.
US officials said Iran launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf states that host American military forces.
US Conducts Fresh Airstrikes Across Iran
Shortly before dawn, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the completion of another major round of military strikes against Iranian targets.
According to CENTCOM, US forces struck command centers, missile and drone facilities, air defense systems, coastal surveillance installations and military infrastructure across multiple locations.
Among the key targets was Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest commercial port as well as major naval and Revolutionary Guard facilities overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
US forces also carried out strikes on Greater Tunb Island, targeting coastal defense systems, cruise missile launch sites and other facilities Washington said threatened freedom of navigation in the vital waterway.
Iranian media additionally reported attacks near Tehran, Semnan, Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Konarak, Sirik and Qeshm.
State broadcaster IRIB reported that an airstrike near a hospital in Ahvaz forced the temporary evacuation of a pediatric cancer center, although officials did not immediately confirm casualties.
Separately, Iranian television reported that another US strike hit the barracks of the 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Sistan and Baluchestan province, killing seven soldiers and injuring several others.
Iran Reports Casualties
Iran’s Health Ministry said more than 35 people had been killed and over 300 others wounded in recent US airstrikes.
Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said the figures represented the first official nationwide casualty toll released by Iranian authorities during the latest round of fighting, although he did not specify how many of the victims were civilians or military personnel.
US Tightens Naval Blockade
Washington has also increased pressure at sea by strengthening its naval blockade of Iranian ports after efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz failed.
The US military said it disabled a Curacao-flagged oil tanker heading toward Iran’s Kharg Island export terminal after the vessel allegedly ignored repeated warnings.
According to US officials, an American aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the vessel’s smokestack, rendering it inoperable without sinking it.
The military added that two additional vessels had been redirected since the blockade resumed, saying the operations were intended to enforce maritime restrictions imposed on Iran.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli military operations began on February 28, disrupting one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes. Before the conflict, nearly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments transited the strategic waterway.
Reflecting concerns over prolonged supply disruptions, Brent crude oil settled at a one-month high of $84.95 per barrel on Wednesday.
Tehran Warns of ‘Existential War’
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf described the confrontation as an “existential war” with the United States.
In a statement published online, Qalibaf accused Washington of violating the terms of an interim peace agreement and attempting to overturn what he called Iran’s security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz through military force.
He argued that negotiations with the United States should not be viewed as surrender but as part of Iran’s broader strategy of resistance.
The Revolutionary Guard also warned that regional energy exports would remain at risk while the US naval blockade continued.
“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” the IRGC said.
Trump Says Iran Still Seeks Negotiated Settlement
Despite the escalating military confrontation, US President Donald Trump said he believed Iran remained interested in reaching a negotiated agreement.
“They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off,” Trump said during remarks at the US Army War College in Pennsylvania.
Trump also announced that Iran had released an American citizen detained since late 2024, describing the move as a goodwill gesture. Human rights lawyer Jared Genser identified the released detainee as Dena Karari.
Regional Tensions Continue to Rise
The latest exchanges underscore the rapid deterioration of security across the Gulf following the collapse of an interim agreement aimed at halting hostilities.
With both Iran and the United States continuing to exchange military strikes while the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation, fears are mounting that the crisis could evolve into a broader regional conflict with far-reaching consequences for global energy markets and regional stability.
BY: The Times Union
