Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against United States military bases in Iraq and Jordan, as well as targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, following a U.S. military operation that struck a civilian residence hosting a wedding celebration in southern Iran.
Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes After US Missile Hits Wedding Party
The U.S. strike hit a home in Kuhestak, located in the southern county of Sirik. According to Ahmad Nafisi, the deputy governor of Hormozgan Province, the attack killed five people, including a child, and wounded at least 68 others. Reza Shahidiyan, the governor of Sirik county, told the state broadcaster IRIB that 63 people were wounded, 50 of whom were women and children.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society released footage showing a building with blown-out windows and walls, and images of children receiving hospital treatment. A child survivor described hearing fighter jets before an intense explosion sent bricks and cement into his face and head, stating, Everyone was just ordinary civilians
.
U.S. Central Command (Centcom) stated it was aware of the reports but maintained that it never targeted civilians
.
U.S. Military Targets and Justifications
The U.S. military announced a wave of strikes on Tuesday against Iranian military targets, including maritime assets, radar systems, communications sites, mine-laying capabilities, and air defense sites. President Donald Trump told Fox News in a phone call that U.S. forces specifically targeted radars, stating, They tried to rebuild their radar because they can’t see anything. We waited until it was almost built and then we hit it
.
Centcom stated these operations followed recent attempted attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against American forces in the region and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump warned on social media that if Iran retaliates for the very justified attack
, they would be hit again at a much harder and higher level
.
Iranian Retaliation and Regional Impact
In response to the Sirik attack, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at a U.S. Marine base along Jordan’s Gulf of Aqaba coast. The Jordanian military reported that it intercepted 10 of the missiles, while the remaining three landed in unpopulated areas.
Beyond Jordan, Iran’s military reported attacking U.S. assets in Bahrain and Iraq, while Kuwait reported the interception of missiles and drones. Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and joint military command warned the U.S. of crushing and devastating blows
.
The conflict has further impacted critical infrastructure and shipping:
- Strait of Hormuz: The IRGC warned that the U.S. strikes have tightened Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.
- Civilian Infrastructure: Iranian state media reported U.S. bombings of a civilian airport and other sites along the southern coast, including explosions in Jask, Asaluyeh, Ahvaz, Konarak, Bandar Abbas, and Qeshm Island.
Broader Conflict and Political Stakes
These hostilities are part of an intermittent war that has lasted more than six months, beginning on Feb. 28 with a U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The renewed fighting follows a month without military action and has contributed to a spike in global oil prices.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, called the Kuhestak strike brutal
and part of a chain of atrocities
. He cited previous strikes on the first day of the war that hit a sports hall in Lamerd, killing at least 21 people, and an elementary school in Minab, which Iranian authorities claim killed more than 150 people.
The escalation comes as the U.S. administration faces November midterm congressional elections, with the conflict posing political challenges for Republicans.
