The United States launched a new wave of airstrikes against Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran's southern coast, while Tehran claimed retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, escalating hostilities that threaten to shatter a tenuous ceasefire.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the seven-hour operation, which ended Tuesday night, involved fighter jets, drones, and naval vessels striking "dozens of military targets." The strikes coincided with the resumption of a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, driving oil prices higher amid fears of supply disruptions.
Iranian media reported explosions in multiple cities, including Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, and Bushehr, where air defenses were activated. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani claimed over 30 civilians have been killed in recent U.S. attacks, while the Health Ministry reported more than 260 injured. The Iranian army said 13 U.S. missiles hit a garrison in Iranshahr, killing seven soldiers.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its overnight attacks inflicted heavy damage on the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, a logistics hub in Kuwait, and shelters housing fighter jets and drones in Jordan. Jordan's military said it intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles.
President Donald Trump told Fox News that attacks on Iran "will continue until I say enough" and warned that future targets could include power plants and bridges. The U.S. also imposed new sanctions on a network allegedly facilitating Iranian oil exports and froze over $130 million in cryptocurrency wallets linked to Iran's central bank.
Brent crude rose to $86.19 a barrel early Wednesday, up from near $70 before the latest escalation. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil passes daily, remains a flashpoint after Iran closed the waterway following Oman's announcement of a new shipping corridor.