The US military launched fresh airstrikes targeting Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard on Sunday in retaliation for the killing of American troops in Jordan, escalating the week-long crossfire between the two nations over the Strait of Hormuz.
Airstrikes Target Key Iranian Facilities
The US military's Central Command stated that it hit "Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities and missile and drone storage sites." For the first time, the strikes specifically targeted the Revolutionary Guard, a key power base in Iran's theocracy that controls its ballistic missile arsenal. Footage released by the US military showed strikes carried out by fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from sea, with one target site appearing to be in a valley of a mountainous region, where the Guard often hides missile bases and equipment.
Escalation in the Iran War
The strikes are part of a week-long campaign that has seen Iran strike US-allied countries across the Middle East. An interim deal aimed at ending the conflict has collapsed. The US has targeted bridges, electrical facilities, and other sites in Iran, while Tehran has retaliated by hitting power and desalination plants in Kuwait. Iran has also stepped up threats to expand strikes, drawing a warning from the United Arab Emirates. US President Donald Trump has threatened to target Iran's power stations and bridges to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz.
Casualties and Blockade
The US military reported that an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan killed two American service members, left one missing, and four requiring hospitalization. Since the war began, 16 US service members have been killed and over 430 wounded. Iranian authorities said Saturday that at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the latest US strikes. The US has also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil shipments, with the military redirecting five ships and disabling one since Saturday.
Iran's Response
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of "unforgettable lessons" if the US continues attacking. An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago. Iran's joint military command stated that US "covetousness, bullying, totalitarianism or brutality" would meet with a "devastating response."
