WASHINGTON, United States: The US strikes Iran, targeting Revolutionary Guard facilities after an Iranian attack in Jordan killed two American service members, left one missing and sent four others to the hospital.
US Central Command said the operation aimed to punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units responsible for Friday’s attack and reduce Iran’s ability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian authorities said an area near Sirik in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province was struck at about 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday, equivalent to 3 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time. Explosions or attacks were also reported near Hajiabad, Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
The latest deaths raised the number of US service members killed during the conflict to 16, while more than 430 have been wounded, according to the Associated Press.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned Washington of further retaliation and said Tehran had suspended its commitments under an interim agreement reached about a month earlier.
Iran also launched missiles and drones towards US allies in the Gulf. Kuwaiti authorities reported damage to an oil facility and a desalination plant, while Bahrain activated air-raid sirens and Jordan said its air defences intercepted Iranian missiles.
Read: Kuwait Desalination Plant Burns After Iranian Strike
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed it damaged US military facilities and aircraft in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. Independent confirmation of those specific claims was not available.
