US Launches New Strikes on Iran as Regional Tensions Escalate

PUKMEDIA

The war between US and Iran.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces had carried out a fresh wave of strikes against multiple targets inside Iran under the direct orders of President Donald Trump.

CENTCOM said the operation was conducted as part of what Washington described as a "self-defence" mission, continuing military actions launched in response to recent Iranian attacks on US forces and interests in the region. According to US officials, the strikes targeted air defence systems, surveillance radars, command-and-control facilities, and units associated with drone operations. All of the targeted sites were reportedly located in southern Iran.

US officials said the operation was intended to weaken Iran's defensive and surveillance capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz and reduce its ability to coordinate air and drone activities in the region.

The latest strikes followed increasingly strong rhetoric from Washington, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warning that American forces were prepared to conduct further military operations against key targets inside Iran if necessary. Hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran have continued to diminish amid the ongoing exchange of attacks.

In response to the US strikes, Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping routes for oil and gas exports. Iran's joint military command stated that all vessels, including commercial ships and oil tankers, would be barred from transiting the waterway and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through could be targeted.

The military escalation has had repercussions across the wider region. Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait reported heightened security measures, while air defence systems were activated in several countries amid concerns that the confrontation could broaden into a wider regional conflict.

Jordanian air defences intercepted missiles over the country after Iran claimed it had launched 12 ballistic missiles at the Al-Azraq Air Base in eastern Jordan, which hosts US military personnel. Jordanian authorities stated that several incoming missiles were intercepted before reaching their intended targets. There was no independent confirmation of Iranian claims that military facilities or aircraft at the base had been destroyed.

Meanwhile, warning sirens were activated in parts of northern Israel after projectiles were detected from the direction of Lebanon. The identity of those responsible and the nature of the projectiles were not immediately confirmed. Regional security forces remain on heightened alert amid fears that the conflict could spread further.

In Bahrain, authorities activated air raid sirens and announced that air defence systems were responding to potential threats. Kuwait's military also reported that its air defences had engaged hostile aerial targets, while the country's Civil Aviation Authority temporarily suspended air traffic as a precaution.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard later announced that it had targeted what it described as a US command-and-control centre at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan. The Guard claimed the operation was conducted in retaliation for American air strikes on Iranian territory. However, there has been no independent verification of Iranian claims regarding damage to the facility.

The Iranian military also announced that it had launched drone attacks against the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Iranian statements claimed that communications and radar installations linked to Patriot missile defence systems had been targeted. No independent confirmation of damage to US military facilities in Bahrain was immediately available.

Separately, Iranian military officials claimed that Revolutionary Guard naval forces had taken action against vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and that an F-16 fighter aircraft had been forced to withdraw after allegedly approaching Iranian airspace. Neither claim had been independently verified by US or international authorities at the time of reporting.

As military operations continue and diplomatic efforts remain stalled, regional governments and international observers are closely watching developments amid growing concerns that the confrontation between the United States and Iran could expand further in the coming days.


PUKMEDIA