The United States launched airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, risking all-out war in the Middle East. The US military said the latest missile round targeted Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The strikes retaliated for the killing of American troops in Jordan, where two US service members died and one was reported missing. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said: 'Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.'
Iranian Retaliation and Regional Escalation
Iran fired missiles at Jordan and warned that two ships 'had an accident' in an unsafe area of the Strait of Hormuz. The exchange reignited the conflict between the US and Iran, following the collapse of last month's interim deal that sought to end the war. The US targeted bridges, electrical facilities and other targets in Iran, and Tehran retaliated by hitting US-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Large numbers of Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon.
Trump's Criticism of Netanyahu
Donald Trump has grown increasingly critical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign in the region, warning it risks undermining his peace deal with Tehran. Mr Trump said he 'couldn’t care less' that Tehran announced it was abandoning the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran in June. Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, warned the US would face 'unforgettable lessons' if its attacks continued.
Air Defenses Activated Across the Region
Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain again activated air defences as they warned of incoming Iranian drones and missiles. Israel warned that Iranian missiles launched toward neighbouring Jordan could cause the conflict to spill over into its territory for the first time since fighting restarted. The US hit 'Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities, maritime capabilities and missile and drone storage sites.' It said the attack was designed to degrade Iran's ability to control the Strait of Hormuz and 'swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces,' a key power base in Iran that controls its ballistic missile arsenal.
Details of the US Strikes
US military footage showed strikes carried out by fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from the sea. One target site appeared to be in a valley of a mountainous region. The Guard often has missile bases and other military equipment tucked into mountain ranges. An Iranian attack on a base in Jordan killed two American service members, left one missing, and four in hospital. Since the war began, 16 US service members have been killed and over 430 wounded. Iranian authorities reported that at least 50 people were killed and 517 wounded in the US strikes.
Strategic Objectives
During the latest fighting, Iran has focused its attacks on US-allied Arab states rather than Israel, which launched the war with the US on February 28. President Trump threatened to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz. Recent attacks suggest the US military is carrying out that plan, beginning first with Iran's coastal areas on the strait. The US also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its crude oil shipments, redirecting five ships and disabling one since then.
Iran's Response and Warning
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of 'unforgettable lessons' if America keeps attacking the Islamic Republic. An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago and aimed at permanently ending the fighting. Iran’s joint military command said that U.S. 'covetousness, bullying, totalitarianism or brutality' would meet with a 'devastating response.' Khamenei said in a written statement that America's 'repeated breaches' of the agreement had 'laid bare a fundamental truth: the signature of the US president is utterly worthless and devoid of credibility'. Khamenei has not been seen in public since the attack which killed his father at the start of the war. He accused the US of seeking to 'escalate the conflict'.
Collapse of the Interim Deal
Washington and Tehran struck a preliminary deal to end the war in June. But the agreement unravelled within weeks, with Trump declaring the agreement 'over' on 8 July.
