Washington: The US military announced the completion of a two-hour operation targeting Iranian military sites, following Iran's missile launches aimed at American forces in the Middle East. The strikes, deemed a "powerful response" by Washington, hit multiple Iranian sites, including military command centers, drone and missile facilities, and coastal defense locations. The action was in direct retaliation to what the US described as an "attempted surprise attack" by Tehran on US forces based in the region.
According to France24.com, the US military disclosed that the strikes took place from 8pm ET to 10pm ET on Wednesday, and were aimed at Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran. This operation was part of a broader response to Iranian missiles that targeted US forces in Jordan, which Iran had confirmed. US President Donald Trump had previously vowed a strong retaliatory action, emphasizing the US's determination to respond forcefully.
The US Central Command took to social media platform X to describe the operation as a direct response to the previous day's Iranian missile launches. Concurrently, Saudi Arabia and the United States conducted strikes on militant bases in Iraq, with Israel accusing Iran-backed Hezbollah of violating a truce. The tension further escalated after Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, reported drone attacks on its crude facilities, attributing the assaults to Iraqi groups allied with Tehran.
Iranian state media reported an American strike in the Piranshahr area near Iran's border with Iraq, which resulted in no casualties. Meanwhile, Jordan's military claimed to have intercepted five Iranian missiles targeting US bases. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards declared their intention to continue resisting what they perceive as ongoing threats against Iran.
On an additional front, Israel alleged that Hezbollah deployed a drone against an Israeli vehicle in Lebanon, marking it as a ceasefire violation. While Israel has allied with the US in the initial stages of the conflict with Iran, it has yet to engage in the recent series of strikes against the Islamic republic.
The recent developments have had significant economic implications as well, with US stocks plummeting and the yield on 30-year US Treasury bonds reaching peak levels last seen in 2007. In Iraq, a joint US-Saudi air operation targeted sites belonging to Iran-aligned groups following attacks on Saudi oil facilities. The strikes reportedly resulted in the death of at least 20 members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi alliance, including five Iranian advisors. The alliance criticized the attacks as a severe escalation against a legitimate security institution.
Iraq's government condemned the US-Saudi strikes, asserting its commitment to confront any breach of its sovereignty. Despite this, President Trump asserted that the strikes were "coordinated with the Iraqi government," as per Fox News. The strikes are part of ongoing US pressure on Iraq to dismantle pro-Iran groups. Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi held discussions with both the US and Iran, aiming to address tensions, including the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
In a related move, the US imposed new sanctions against entities linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, accusing them of extortion in the strategic waterway. The Hormuz blockade has shifted attention to the Red Sea as an alternative export route for Saudi Arabia.