Iran claims attacking US base in Jordan and 21 other Gulf targets

DUBAI/WASHINGTON — Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out coordinated strikes against a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 additional targets across the Gulf region on Wednesday, in retaliation for U.S. military operations near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.

The escalation marks one of the most significant exchanges of hostilities since a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran took effect in April, raising fresh concerns over the stability of the wider Middle East.

The Iranian attacks, which reportedly extended to sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, followed U.S. strikes targeting Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations and surveillance radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump said the strikes were in response to the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter earlier in the week.

“I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that’s what this one is,” Trump told ABC News.

The flare-up deepens uncertainty over diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that began on February 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. Since then, Tehran has retaliated by targeting Gulf states hosting U.S. forces and restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route.

According to the U.S. military’s United States Central Command, the latest air operations lasted around four hours before concluding late Tuesday. A U.S. official said nearly 20 Iranian targets were struck.

Iranian media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and in the port city of Sirik, both near the Strait of Hormuz. Additional blasts were reported in Bandar Abbas and near Jask, close to the strategic maritime chokepoint.

In response, the IRGC said it launched long-range missiles at the U.S. al-Azraq base in Jordan, claiming strikes on F-35 fighter jet hangars and a command-and-control center. The group warned of a “crushing and decisive” response to any further U.S. action.

Jordan’s armed forces said five missiles were intercepted before impact, with debris falling inside Jordanian territory but causing no casualties or damage.

In Kuwait, the army said air defense systems engaged unidentified hostile aerial targets following IRGC claims of drone strikes on the Ali Al Salem base. Authorities urged the public to follow official safety guidance.

In Bahrain, warning sirens were activated after the IRGC said it targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters with drones. Bahraini officials said air defenses intercepted the attack, with no reported damage or injuries.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said initial assessments indicated most incoming missiles and drones were intercepted, with no immediate reports of U.S. casualties or damage. The Pentagon did not immediately comment.

Oil prices rose about 1% in early Asian trading as markets reacted to the renewed escalation.

On Tuesday, a U.S. Apache helicopter was reportedly downed by a one-way Iranian drone strike near Oman’s coastline. Two crew members were rescued by a U.S. Navy surface vessel and were reported in stable condition, according to U.S. military officials.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said foreign military presence in the region risked accidents or crossfire, adding that withdrawal would reduce tensions.

Trump later described the helicopter incident as “not a big deal,” saying the pilot was unharmed.

Despite repeated U.S. statements suggesting progress toward a broader agreement, diplomatic efforts have shown limited advancement since the April ceasefire. Meanwhile, tensions remain high in the region, including continued clashes involving Hezbollah and Israeli forces in Lebanon.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has increased “very meaningfully,” but warned it could take months for global energy flows to normalize once hostilities end.

Iran has insisted that any agreement must include sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz. The United States has maintained that any deal must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

-Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Lincoln Feast/Reuters