The United States has launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran in retaliation for Tehran’s attempted ballistic missile attacks on American forces, marking another escalation in the expanding conflict between the two countries.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out a “heavy wave” of strikes targeting dozens of facilities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan and targeted vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the operation struck military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance systems, maritime capabilities and other military infrastructure. The U.S. military described the strikes as a “powerful response” to Iran’s attempted attacks, adding that all Iranian ballistic missiles fired toward American positions were intercepted.
Iranian state media reported that at least three people, including a two year old child, were killed during the latest U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island, while other locations in southern and western Iran were also hit. Iranian authorities condemned the attacks, describing them as targeting residential areas.
The renewed fighting follows the collapse of a ceasefire reached earlier this year that briefly halted months of hostilities. Since then, the conflict has widened beyond direct exchanges between Washington and Tehran, drawing additional countries into the crisis.
Earlier this week, the United States and Saudi Arabia publicly confirmed joint strikes against Iran-backed militia positions in eastern Iraq after a series of drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) said at least 20 of its members were killed, while the Iraqi presidency condemned the operation as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Iran has also intensified attacks on regional targets, firing missiles at U.S. military installations in Jordan and targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes.
The escalating conflict has also affected neighbouring countries. Egypt confirmed that a fire at one of its ports was caused by a drone attack, while Jordan said its air defence systems intercepted five Iranian missiles aimed at its territory.
Diplomatic efforts appear to have stalled despite recent indications of indirect contacts. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier suggested negotiations with Iran were progressing, although Iranian officials publicly denied that formal talks were taking place.
The latest exchange has renewed concerns about a broader regional conflict, with analysts warning that continued attacks on military installations, energy infrastructure and shipping routes could further destabilise the Middle East and disrupt global energy markets.
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