Sunday marked another flare-up in the military standoff: Iran’s armed forces said they carried out drone strikes on American military facilities in Kuwait. In response, Bahrain and Kuwait said their air defence systems intercepted Iranian aerial attacks, and explosions were heard in a number of cities. The actions formed part of an escalation that began after a series of mutual accusations and strikes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it shot down a US intelligence-and-strike drone, the MQ-9, over the city of Ahvaz in the south-west of Iran. At the same time, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that, on the order of President Donald Trump, a new wave of airstrikes had been carried out against targets inside Iran. In Washington, the strikes were explained as a direct response to the deaths of American servicemen in Jordan, which are attributed to Iran-aligned groups.
According to CENTCOM, the raids began at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time and targeted infrastructure used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian news agencies reported explosions near the city of Sirik in Hormozgan province, as well as in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lengeh, and on the island of Qeshm. Iranian officials said there were no casualties or serious damage, although they added that some areas had received missile hits.
Politically, President Trump called the deaths of American servicemen in Jordan “a very sad event” and stressed that the main goal of the conflict was to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In Tehran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reacted to the US-Iran memorandum signed by Trump, saying it had “lost all value” due to breaches of obligations by the United States. Khamenei also warned that any continued US military operations would be met with a decisive response from the “resistance front”.
The US State Department urged all American citizens around the world to exercise heightened vigilance amid rising tensions. In a statement, the agency said there was a risk of attacks on US interests or facilities associated with the United States by groups that support Iran. Particular attention was directed to the Persian Gulf states, where direct clashes have already occurred.
The international community responded with a joint statement by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the European Union. The document condemns Iranian attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and on the territory of neighbouring states. It emphasizes that freedom of navigation is guaranteed by international law, and rejects any Iranian claims to sovereignty over the strait or the charging of passage fees. The coalition calls for an immediate cessation of attacks and keeping the strait open without any conditions.
Comments on the news
- What is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and how is it different from Iran’s regular army? – The IRGC (or “Sepah”) is an elite military and political formation created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend its ideals. Unlike the regular army (Artesh), which is responsible for external border defence, the IRGC focuses on maintaining the internal regime, controls Iran’s missile programme, participates in the economy, and influences politics. The IRGC also has its own land, naval, and air forces, as well as the Quds Force for operations abroad.
- Why is the Strait of Hormuz considered strategically important for the global economy, and what risks are linked to its blockade? – Around 20–25% of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz (about 17–20 million barrels per day), making it a key “chokepoint” in global energy supplies. Blockading the strait (for example, by Iran in response to sanctions) can trigger a sharp surge in oil prices, fuel shortages, a chain reaction in the global economy, and even a military conflict involving the United States and its allies.
- What does the term “resistance front,” used by Ayatollah Khamenei in his warning, mean? – The “resistance front” (or “axis of resistance”) is a term adopted in Iran to refer to a coalition of Iran-aligned armed groups and states that oppose Israel and US influence in the Middle East. It includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the Palestinian Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis, various Iraqi and Syrian militias, and the Iranian government itself. Khamenei uses this concept to underscore the unity of these forces and their readiness to take retaliatory action.
Full version: إيران تستهدف الكويت والبحرين وأمريكا ترد على مقتل جنودها بالأردن