Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps launched coordinated missile and kamikaze drone strikes against several US military facilities across the Middle East. The targets included US-linked bases and installations in Iraq’s Kurdish region, the UAE, and Kuwait, focusing on radar systems, maintenance centers, warehouses, and drone hangars. Iran stated the retaliation was for American strikes a day earlier that killed at least 18 people, including children, in a single day, as well as civilians at a wedding in Sirik.
An Iranian military spokesman claimed the strikes caused heavy damage and killed or wounded a significant number of US personnel, though outside observers could not independently verify these claims. Gulf states hosting US forces have not detailed the damage on their soil, and it remains unclear if their own personnel or civilians were harmed. President Trump downplayed suggestions of seeking a negotiated de-escalation, pointing to near-total control over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s collapsing economy.
The exchange is one of the most intense rounds of direct fire between the two sides, with strikes and counterstrikes hitting military sites in at least half a dozen countries. Analysts warn the tit-for-tat exchanges raise the risk of a broader regional war, while diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have stalled entirely. Financial markets also reacted sharply, with oil prices and safe-haven assets shifting as investors weighed further escalation.