Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a significant retaliatory operation early Thursday morning, targeting infrastructure and critical facilities at four United States military bases across Kuwait and Bahrain, according to official Iranian state media reports.
The IRGC confirmed in a statement that its forces had executed “the first phase of our retaliatory response” utilizing missiles and drones against Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as Juffair and Sheikh Isa Air Bases in Bahrain. The military wing further warned that any additional US aggression would prompt an expansion of attacks to include other American installations throughout the region.
Black smoke billows in Bahrain after Iran's strikes.
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Pentagon Confirms Attacks as Tensions Escalate
The strikes come in direct response to what Iran describes as US aggression targeting several areas in Iran’s southern coastal provinces. According to the IRGC, the American attacks occurred following the funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, and specifically targeted two bridges in the eastern provinces leading to the city of Mashhad a move the Iranian military characterized as an attempt to divert attention from the commemorative events.
“This provocation will not go unanswered,” the IRGC statement emphasized, underscoring Iran’s commitment to defending its sovereignty.
Fifth Fleet Headquarters Reportedly Struck
Multiple Iranian news agencies have reported extensive damage from the aerial assault. Fars News Agency, citing unnamed sources, confirmed that the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain sustained a direct hit, with Iranian television broadcasting reports of a fire breaking out at the facility.
CCTV footage from Kuwait shows the moments after Iranian missiles arrived.
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Mehr News Agency described “very powerful explosions” rocking the Fifth Fleet headquarters, while Tasnim News Agency reported similarly intense blasts shaking US military positions in Kuwait. Iranian state television and IRNA further reported that air raid sirens were activated at the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan’s Azraq region, where American forces are stationed.
Regional Response and Defense Measures
In response to the unfolding crisis, Kuwait’s military announced the activation of the country’s air defense systems. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that air raid sirens had been triggered across the nation, signaling the gravity of the situation.
Significant Escalation in Regional Tensions
These attacks mark a dramatic escalation in US-Iran tensions and represent what Iranian officials describe as the most substantial response since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations. Tehran had previously issued explicit warnings that any military action against its territory would be met with immediate and comprehensive retaliation.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation as concerns grow over the potential for further military confrontation in the strategically vital Persian Gulf region.
Source: Iranian media and Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar)