The U.S. military hit targets in Iran on Tuesday, and Tehran fired missiles and drones at various sites across the region in response, as hostilities flare once again in an intermittent war that has lasted more than six months. The renewed exchange of fire comes after a month-long lull and threatens to widen the conflict beyond Iran’s borders.
Trump Says He Won’t Force Iran to the Bargaining Table
Late Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not force Iran to the bargaining table. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was satisfied with the current U.S. position and pointed to what he described as almost total control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s worsening economy.
Civilian Sites Hit in Iran
Iranian state media reported that the U.S. had bombed civilian sites along Iran’s southern coast and hit a civilian airport.
A U.S. strike also hit a home where a wedding ceremony was being held in southern Iran, killing five people, including a child, and wounding at least 68 others, according to Ahmad Nafisi, Hormozgan Province’s deputy governor, who spoke to Iranian state television by phone. The U.S. military said it was aware of the report and maintained that it does not target civilians.
Iran Launches Attack on Jordan
After the U.S. attacks began, Iran launched ballistic missiles at Jordan as part of its “decisive operation” against US targets in the region. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard claimed to have targeted a U.S. base along Jordan’s Gulf of Aqaba coast, according to Iranian state television.
Jordan’s military said it shot down 10 of the 13 missiles, while the three remaining missiles landed in unpopulated areas. Explosions that appeared to be interceptions of incoming attacks were seen over Aqaba. Two U.S. officials told Reuters that no American casualties had been reported.
Kuwait Says Fire Extinguished After Iranian Drone Targets Residential Complex
Kuwait on Wednesday said an Iranian drone attack caused a fire at a residential complex in the capital, but there were no casualties and the blaze was brought under control.
Kuwait’s Fire Force said a hostile drone hit the complex and that firefighters responded early Wednesday. The incident caused material damage, but no injuries were reported.
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Bahrain Reports Iranian Drone Attacks
In Bahrain, Iran’s army said it launched drones at radar installations and parts of the country’s Sheikh Isa airbase, where Tehran says U.S. forces are stationed. Bahrain said its air defenses intercepted the incoming attacks.
Iraq Intercepts Attacks
The IRGC later claimed a combined missile and drone attack on U.S. facilities in Erbil province, northern Iraq. It said the strikes destroyed a repair centre and warehouses containing technical equipment and set fuel tanks alight. Kurdistan’s Counter-Terrorism Directorate said it had intercepted 10 drones laden with explosives in the Erbil area.
How the Latest Escalation Began
The flare-up on Wednesday follows an exchange of attacks on Sunday, when the U.S. military struck Larak Island in southern Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile launches against a base housing U.S. troops in Jordan.
The latest escalation has effectively ended the recent lull in fighting and raised fresh fears that the conflict could once again spread across the wider Middle East.
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