Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated further following a fresh wave of US military strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory missile attacks claimed by Tehran against American military facilities in the Middle East.
The latest developments also saw Iran activate air defence systems in Tehran after explosions were reported in several parts of the country, while neighbouring Jordan said it intercepted multiple Iranian missiles headed toward its territory.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had completed a new round of precision strikes targeting Iranian command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone sites, and coastal surveillance facilities.
According to CENTCOM, the operation was designed to degrade Iran’s capability to threaten commercial shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Among the targets reportedly struck was the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, which hosts key Iranian naval assets and facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Reports also indicated that some of the attacks reached parts of northern Iran for the first time since the latest round of hostilities began.
As the strikes unfolded, Iranian authorities activated air defence systems in parts of the capital, Tehran.
Iranian state media reported explosions in the northern province of Semnan and the western province of Lorestan.
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said no casualties had been reported in Tehran, while officials were assessing the impact of the explosions in other affected areas.
In what appeared to be a retaliatory move, Iran’s military claimed it had launched attacks on US military facilities at the Azraq Air Base in Jordan.
According to Iranian state media, the strikes targeted American military communications systems and fuel storage facilities at the base, which hosts US personnel.
However, neither the Jordanian government nor the US Central Command immediately confirmed the Iranian claim.
Meanwhile, Jordan said its air defence systems intercepted eight Iranian missiles that were heading toward the kingdom.
The Jordanian Armed Forces, quoted by the state-run Petra News Agency, said the missiles were destroyed before reaching their intended targets, adding that no casualties or property damage were recorded.
The missile interceptions came amid reports that Iran had launched missile and drone attacks targeting several US allies in the region, including Bahrain and Kuwait.
The latest exchange of military actions marks another significant escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns over the possibility of a wider regional conflict involving US allies across the Middle East.