The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Monday morning (Tehran time) the launch of a new round of strikes against Iranian targets.
Kabul 24: American officials described the operation as the third wave of attacks within the past 24 hours, aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Shortly after CENTCOM’s statement, Iranian media outlets reported multiple explosions in the Sirik region and Bandar Abbas.
Social media users also shared eyewitness accounts of unidentified fighter jets flying over Sirik and explosions heard in Qeshm, Sirik, and Bandar Abbas.In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a series of statements claiming retaliatory attacks on U.S. military bases in neighboring countries.
According to the IRGC’s third communique, strikes were carried out against U.S. facilities in Kuwait in retaliation for attacks on fuel depots and Patriot air defense systems at Ali Salem Air Base, as well as a strategic FPS radar system at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base.
The IRGC had previously announced in two earlier statements that it had targeted American bases in Jordan and Bahrain. In its fourth statement released Monday morning, the IRGC claimed that its forces struck a U.S. Army ground-to-ground missile base, two HIMARS rocket launchers, and several ammunition depots filled with missiles in Kuwait.
The Guard described the operations as “proportionate responses” and warned that attacks would continue if U.S. aggression persisted.
The escalation comes amid soaring tensions between Iran and the United States, reaching levels not seen in recent years. Regional analysts warn that this cycle of strikes and counter-strikes risks spiraling into a wider conflict, threatening maritime security, global energy supplies, and stability across the Persian Gulf.
As of now, no official casualty figures or detailed damage assessments have been released by either side. Both Washington and Tehran have reiterated their determination to protect national interests.
The international community is closely monitoring developments, with diplomatic efforts reportedly underway to de-escalate the situation.
This latest confrontation highlights the fragile security environment in the Middle East and could have far-reaching consequences for regional geopolitics and global economic stability.
Observers fear that any miscalculation could rapidly expand the scope and intensity of hostilities in one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for oil trade.
