Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched missile and drone attacks against a U.S. military base in Jordan and multiple American-linked targets across the Gulf region in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
Iranian state media reported that the operation targeted 21 sites, including the Al-Azraq air base in Jordan and facilities associated with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The IRGC described the attacks as a response to American military action against Iranian positions following the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States had earlier carried out what it described as “self-defense strikes” against Iranian radar, air defense and related military facilities after Washington blamed Iran for the helicopter incident. U.S. officials characterized the operation as a proportional response rather than a broader military offensive.
According to reports, most of the missiles and drones launched by Iran were intercepted by U.S. and allied air defense systems. There were no immediate reports of major casualties among American personnel.
The latest exchange has further strained efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire and has heightened concerns about the security of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes. Analysts warn that continued military escalation could have significant implications for regional stability and global energy markets.
The confrontation represents one of the most serious direct exchanges between Washington and Tehran in recent months and underscores the volatility of the broader conflict that has repeatedly spilled across the Gulf region.
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