Iran Strikes U.S. Bases in the Region in New Escalation Cycle

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its forces launched a joint missile and drone attack on U.S. facilities in Erbil province, northern Iraq. Bahrain also reported that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several Iranian drones, according to Al Jazeera.

“Shaikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain is one of the most important and sensitive U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region, serving as a key maintenance and repair hub for helicopters and drone components, as well as hosting reconnaissance aircraft,” the IRGC claimed.

Earlier, in a televised address at night, the spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that any cooperation with the U.S. military would bear dangerous and serious consequences.

State-run Iranian media reported that a U.S. strike hit the site of a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, Sirik, southern Iran. Five people were killed, and another 50 were injured, according to figures from the Iranian Red Crescent cited by Iranian media. Social media has been flooded with photos of children allegedly injured in the strike.

CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins responded: “We are aware of the reports, which originated from Iranian state media. The U.S. military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC.”

In an additional comment on the night’s events, Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said that “revenge for the enemy’s crimes and aggression will soon be carried out.” He added: “The revenge will be swift, devastating, and on a massive scale for the enemy.”

Axios specified that U.S. forces attacked two Iranian government tankers overnight in a series of strikes carried out on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials. This is the first time the U.S. military has struck Iranian tankers in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, rather than to prevent a breach of the maritime blockade.

The Iranian government tankers were anchored off the coast of Iran, north of the U.S. naval blockade line. American drones launched missiles that struck their engine rooms.

A U.S. official said the move is part of a new “tanker-for-tanker” policy approved by President Trump to further deter Iranian attacks on tankers transiting the strait.

Additionally, U.S. officials reported that approximately 100 targets were struck during Tuesday’s attacks. They included IRGC air defense sites, radar systems, mining capabilities, communications facilities, anti-ship cruise missile launchers, and attack drone launchers, the officials said.

U.S. officials told the outlet that Iran’s response failed, as the country launched approximately 25 ballistic missiles, but only half of them reached Jordanian airspace. Ten were intercepted, while three exploded in open areas.

Iran also launched around two dozen drones at U.S. bases in Bahrain, but most of them were intercepted, a U.S. official said.

Iran also launched ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. bases in Kuwait. Two drones were launched at a U.S. base in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, but both were intercepted.

The White House and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the strikes were a response to recent IRGC attempts to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as U.S. bases in the region.

But the attacks were also part of a plan that Trump and his senior aides had been considering in recent days to prevent Iran from restoring its radar and missile capabilities to attack ships transiting the strait. Axios reported on the plan on Monday.

One U.S. official said the idea is to reduce the risk of Iranian attacks on oil tankers, U.S. Navy ships, and Air Force aircraft — to “mow the lawn,” as he put it.

A U.S. official told Axios on Tuesday that the new strikes had reduced Iran’s offensive capabilities in the strait and “bought at least a month” of reduced threat levels for commercial vessels.