The US military conducted extensive bombing operations against Iran overnight, marking the first such action in days as the crisis deepened in the region, involving Egypt for the first time. An American-owned vessel caught fire in an Egyptian port after a drone strike, the first direct hit on Egypt during the crisis. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Tehran retaliated by threatening punishment for the US following attacks on numerous Iranian military sites.
Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia joined the US in airstrikes on Iranian proxies in Iraq after months of avoiding direct involvement in the conflict. The US response to an attack on their base in Jordan was described as a significant retaliation, targeting various military installations in southern Iran. The two-hour-long strikes by the US Central Command hit military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities.
According to reports, Iran claimed that US strikes killed three of its soldiers, further escalating tensions. Jordan intercepted Iranian missiles for the second consecutive day, while Kuwait reported a fatal strike that claimed one life. Inside Iran, sources indicated that a US attack on Qeshm Island resulted in the deaths of a couple and their two-year-old child.
Negotiations are ongoing between Oman and Tehran concerning the Strait of Hormuz, as per the Iranian Foreign Ministry. In Gaza, Israeli forces carried out attacks that resulted in the deaths of at least four Palestinians, including two children, and left many others injured.
In response to the US strike on Qeshm Island, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Tehran claimed responsibility for targeting the al-Azraq airbase in Jordan, which hosts US F-35 fighter jets. The corps also acknowledged an attack on the US Ali al-Salem military base in Kuwait. Iran reiterated its claim over the Strait of Hormuz and warned against external interference in the region.
The IRGC warned of severe consequences for countries aiding the US and asserted its control over the Strait of Hormuz. It emphasized that the strait would remain closed as long as the US continued its interference in regional maritime activities. The US justified its recent wave of attacks as a response to Iran’s alleged missile attempts on American bases.