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Iran launched missile and drone attacks against US targets in Jordan and Bahrain on Wednesday, a day after the US military struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets inside Iran, including a strike that Iranian officials said killed at least four people at a wedding ceremony.
Jordan's air defenses intercepted most of the incoming projectiles, while Kuwait's army also reported coming under attack from missiles and drones.
The exchange marks a sharp escalation in hostilities that trace back to a war that began with strikes on Iran in late February, and follows a fragile framework agreement reached in June.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday that it had launched attacks against IRGC targets inside Iran. Iranian media reported explosions afterward on Qeshm Island and in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar and Konarak, and Iranian state television said Jiroft Airport in Kerman province had also been targeted.
Among the strikes, the US hit a residence hosting a wedding ceremony in the city of Sirik in Hormozgan province. Ahmad Nafisi, deputy governor of Hormozgan, said initial assessments showed at least four people were killed and 50 injured.
Following the escalation Tuesday evening, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public comments on the confrontation, saying in a statement posted to his Telegram channel that "the Iranian people and the Resistance Front have unforgettable lessons to teach the American enemy."
Mohammad Elahdad, head of Iran's Electricity Generation and Distribution Company, said sections of the power grid in Hormozgan province were struck by the US military, causing outages in parts of Kish Island and in Sirik.
He said repair crews were working to restore power, adding, "We hope that within less than an hour the damaged networks will be repaired and electricity will be restored to subscribers who have been left without power in these areas."
In response to the strike on the wedding, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted a US Marine base in Jordan known as "Camp Titin" with ballistic missiles.
The IRGC claimed numerous US soldiers were killed in that attack, though the claim could not be independently corroborated.
Sirens sounded in the Jordanian cities of Aqaba and Mafrak after Iran announced its counterattack, according to Jordan's state broadcaster Al Mamlaka.
Residents in Mafrak said they received phone alerts warning them to be cautious of missile and shrapnel fragments. The Aqaba governorate later announced that the danger had passed.
The Jordan News Agency reported Wednesday that the kingdom's air defenses intercepted 10 of 13 ballistic missiles that entered its airspace, while three fell in remote areas. The report noted it was the second Iranian missile attack directed toward Jordan in less than 48 hours.
Iran's army said Wednesday it had also carried out a drone attack on the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, describing the operation as the 29th phase of what it called "Operation Saeeqah."
The army's public relations department said the attack targeted radar installations and gathering points used by US forces, calling it retaliation for what it described as American aggression against southern Iran.
Iranian authorities described Sheikh Isa as one of the United States' most important and sensitive bases in the Gulf region, saying it is used for the repair and maintenance of helicopter and drone components and hosts reconnaissance aircraft. Iran's army said the attacks would continue.
Kuwait's army said the country had come under attack from missiles and drones as well, though further details were not immediately available.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington had remained elevated since the war began with strikes on Iran in late February. A framework deal was signed in June through Pakistani and Qatari mediation, but the US began a two-week bombing campaign in July and reimposed a naval blockade amid disputes over navigation in the strait.
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