Escalating Tensions: US and Iran Resume Hostile Strikes Following Jordan Attack
US and Iran exchange strikes after – After an Iranian projectile struck a Jordanian air base, verified footage confirmed the incident. The United States responded with air strikes targeting Iran’s coastal surveillance and air defense installations on Saturday night, according to US military officials. Iranian media reported that the under-construction nuclear power plant in Darkhoveyn and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz were hit during the operation.
Targeting Revolutionary Guards and Critical Infrastructure
Centcom stated the strikes were directed at Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), who were linked to the attack that killed two US service members in Jordan on Friday. A Jordanian official confirmed one soldier is still missing. In retaliation, Iran launched its own strikes, with Kuwaiti officials noting that an electricity and water plant had been targeted for the second time in two days. Bahrain reported that its air defenses intercepted an incoming attack.
“Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve,” said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following the deaths of US soldiers.
The US death toll in the conflict has increased to 16 after a Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead. Iran’s health ministry reported at least 50 fatalities and over 500 injuries from US strikes over the past three weeks. The Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, accused Tehran of attacking civilian infrastructure following the latest strikes.
On Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei criticized the US for breaching the preliminary ceasefire agreement. He stated in a written statement that America’s “repeated breaches” exposed the “utterly worthless” nature of the US president’s signature. Meanwhile, the US claimed its attacks were focused on military targets, including logistics infrastructure, to weaken Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC warned that vessels influenced by the US and using unsafe routes would “certainly face accidents.” The US embassy in Amman claimed Jordan had evacuated Aqaba’s airport and seaport due to a “credible threat,” but a Jordanian spokesperson denied the evacuation, stating no recent threats had been detected.
Both nations have escalated their military actions in recent days, with each accusing the other of damaging critical infrastructure. The initial ceasefire, struck in June, collapsed less than a month later after President Donald Trump declared it “over” on 8 July. Smoke was seen near a Kuwaiti oil facility after Iranian strikes, while officials inspected a bridge damaged in southern Iran.
