Washington: The United States launched a series of military strikes targeting Iranian air defense and radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz after an American Apache helicopter was brought down in the strategic waterway, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran.
According to US officials, the operation targeted multiple Iranian military assets, including air defense systems, surveillance radars and ground-control facilities in southern Iran. The strikes came as President Donald Trump continues efforts to negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict, raising concerns that the latest military action could further complicate diplomatic initiatives.
Reports from Iranian media and regional outlets indicated explosions were heard across several locations in southern Iran, including Jask, Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Qeshm Island. While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, Iranian authorities acknowledged that multiple sites were hit.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported blasts on Qeshm Island, while the semi-official Fars News Agency said two water storage tanks in Sirik’s Bemani district were destroyed during the attacks. Iranian officials also reported damage to a telecommunications tower in the region.
US-based outlet Axios, citing American officials, reported that US forces carried out three separate waves of strikes focused on military infrastructure linked to Iran’s air defense network.
Meanwhile, reports emerged that Iran launched drone attacks targeting the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which hosts US military personnel. Details regarding damage or casualties were not immediately available.
Tehran Warns of Retaliation
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US operation, saying Washington had chosen to challenge Tehran’s resolve.
“The Iranian armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,” Araghchi said, warning foreign military forces to leave the region if they wished to remain safe.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it responded by launching drone strikes against the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. In a statement, the IRGC said clashes remain ongoing and warned that stronger retaliatory measures would follow if what it described as US aggression continues.
Iranian military officials also announced attacks on several US-linked targets across the region. The IRGC’s Aerospace Force said it fired long-range solid-fuel missiles at a military base in Jordan that hosts US personnel.
According to the IRGC, the strike hit four key targets, including hangars housing F-35 fighter jets and a command-and-control facility. Neither Jordan nor the United States immediately confirmed the claims.
Separately, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said joint operations involving both the Iranian military and the IRGC targeted US bases in the region. Specific details about those attacks have not been independently verified.
Bahrain, however, acknowledged incoming attacks, with the country’s Interior Ministry urging residents to remain calm and seek shelter in the nearest safe location.
US Says Operation Complete
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) later announced that the military operation had concluded, describing the strikes as a defensive response to recent attacks against American forces and commercial shipping in regional waters.
In a statement, CENTCOM said precision-guided munitions launched by US Air Force and Navy fighter aircraft struck Iranian air defense positions, surveillance radar systems and command facilities near the Strait of Hormuz.
The military said the action followed an investigation into the crash of a US Army Apache helicopter near the strategic waterway. According to US officials, preliminary findings indicated the helicopter was struck by an Iranian drone before crashing. The investigation has not yet determined whether the incident was deliberate.
“CENTCOM forces conducted proportional self-defense strikes against Iranian military capabilities linked to recent attacks on US personnel and international maritime traffic,” the command said.
The statement added that US forces remain on high alert and are prepared to respond to any further threats against American personnel and interests in the region.
The latest exchange of attacks underscores growing instability in the Gulf and raises fears of a broader regional confrontation involving US and Iranian forces.
