The United States launched airstrikes on military targets in southern Iran after a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter was reportedly shot down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. U.S. officials said the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems and radar sites.
Explosions were reported near Bandar Abbas in Iran’s Hormozgan Province as U.S. Central Command carried out the operation. A senior U.S. official said around 20 targets inside Iran were hit and described the action as a limited warning rather than a broader escalation.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it responded by attacking 21 American military targets across the Middle East using drones and long range missiles. Iranian media said targets included the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
According to Iranian reports, the strikes in Jordan targeted F-35 hangars, command centers and other military facilities. The IRGC also claimed to have launched drone attacks against Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base and missile strikes against U.S. positions in Jordan.
The IRGC further claimed that Iranian air defenses shot down a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone over Bushehr Province during the ongoing exchange. Interceptions were reportedly observed over Bahrain as regional air defense systems responded.
Despite the escalation, U.S. officials said the strikes were intended as a warning to Iran and are not expected to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts. However, the IRGC warned it is prepared to deliver a “devastating and decisive” response if further U.S. attacks occur.
Update: U.S. officials said a preliminary assessment shows that nearly all Iranian missiles and drones were successfully intercepted, with no reported injuries to U.S. personnel or known damage to American facilities. The United States carried out strikes on nearly 20 targets inside Iran, officials added. Meanwhile, Jordan’s Armed Forces said they intercepted and shot down five Iranian missiles headed toward Azraq, with debris falling after the interceptions but causing no casualties or damage.
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