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Military tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East have intensified further. On one hand, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that they have struck approximately 140 Iranian military targets in the third wave of attacks over the week. On the other hand, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks on US military installations located in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
A CENTCOM statement said that this military operation was conducted in response to recent Iranian attacks on a Cyprus-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation targeted approximately 140 objectives, including Iranian missile and drone bases, naval capabilities, ammunition depots, communication networks, and coastal surveillance installations.
The US military claims that over 300 targets were hit in operations spanning three consecutive nights, with the aim of weakening Iran’s capability to attack commercial vessels and civilian ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM further stated that since the beginning of May, US forces have assisted approximately 800 commercial vessels in safely crossing the Strait of Hormuz. These vessels have transported about 400 million barrels of oil.
Meanwhile, the IRGC claimed to have attacked and stopped a second “offending vessel” in the Strait of Hormuz. They also warned that if the alleged aggression by the US and Israel continues, there will be more “devastating” responses in the future.
Furthermore, the IRGC claimed that ballistic missile attacks on Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base destroyed a fighter jet maintenance center and a command and control center. However, Qatar’s Ministry of Defense stated that missiles launched towards their territory were successfully intercepted.
Citing Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, the country’s army reported that explosive-laden drone attacks were also carried out on US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. They claimed that a Patriot air defense system, an ammunition depot, and a radar installation were targeted in Kuwait. Additionally, drone attacks were reportedly launched against US communication systems and a radar site in Bahrain.
The IRGC further claimed that multiple ballistic missiles were launched at US military installations at Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base. They asserted that a command and control center and several MQ-9 drone hangars were destroyed in these attacks.
However, these claims by Iran could not be independently verified immediately by any international sources. Detailed responses regarding all claims have also not yet been received from the respective countries.