The United States has launched another round of airstrikes against Iran, saying the attacks were intended to punish Tehran following the first American military deaths since renewed hostilities between the two countries escalated.
The strikes came after two US service members were killed while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan, marking the first confirmed American combat fatalities since the conflict resumed on February 28.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the latest operation targeted units of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) believed to have been responsible for the attack that killed the American troops.
“The strikes were conducted to swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan,” CENTCOM said.
Iran responded within hours, announcing fresh attacks on US military installations across the region.
The Iranian military said it launched drone attacks on two American bases in Kuwait, claiming to have struck an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi as well as Patriot radar and air surveillance systems at Ali Al Salem Air Base.
Tehran also reported launching attacks against US military positions in Jordan and Bahrain, while Iranian state media said American forces carried out strikes on Sirik, a strategic port along the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest exchange of attacks further deepened a conflict that has already claimed dozens of lives and heightened concerns over regional stability.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed that the United States would receive an “unforgettable lesson” if the attacks continued.
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Senior military adviser Major General Mohsen Rezaei warned that Iran would resume “full-scale offensive operations” should Washington sustain its military campaign, while senior commander Ali Abdollahi declared that any further US aggression would provoke a “decisive and devastating response.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route, remains at the centre of the crisis after Iran closed the waterway following the outbreak of hostilities.
The closure has intensified tensions as both sides continue to use control of the strategic passage as leverage.
Iranian authorities also accused the United States of targeting civilian infrastructure, including power facilities and desalination plants supplying drinking water to several southern communities.
According to Iran’s Health Ministry, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured since the latest phase of the conflict began.
The renewed fighting has also triggered anxiety across neighbouring Gulf states. In Kuwait, residents reported increased demand for bottled water, canned food and other essential supplies amid fears that the conflict could disrupt public services and supply chains.
Efforts by international mediators to broker a ceasefire have so far failed, while a preliminary agreement aimed at ending the conflict has reportedly collapsed.
The renewed escalation underscores growing fears that the confrontation between the United States and Iran could expand into a wider regional conflict with significant implications for global energy supplies and Middle East security.