Iran retaliates against US targets after strikes reportedly kill civilians at wedding

Iran has launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks against US-linked military targets across the Middle East following new American strikes on Iranian military facilities that Iranian authorities said killed civilians, including people attending a wedding.

The latest exchange has sharply escalated tensions between Iran and the United States, with Iranian forces targeting American interests in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq on Wednesday.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched a heavy ballistic missile attack against US military bases in Jordan, while Iranian state media reported drone attacks targeting a US base in Bahrain.

Jordan’s armed forces said its air-defence systems responded to 13 ballistic missiles that entered the country’s airspace. Ten were intercepted, while three landed in remote areas, according to initial reports.

Two US officials also told Reuters that initial assessments indicated there were no casualties from the Iranian attack on US facilities in Jordan.

Bahrain said its forces intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones, while Kuwait reported that its air-defence systems were responding to a hostile drone attack.

In Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the IRGC said it carried out combined missile and drone strikes against US bases in Erbil. Iranian authorities claimed the attacks destroyed a maintenance centre, warehouses and other military equipment.

The claims concerning the extent of damage and possible casualties in Iraq had not been independently verified.

The Iranian retaliation came after the US military conducted a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets on Tuesday.

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The US Central Command said its forces struck IRGC air-defence systems, radar sites, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities.

According to the US military, the operation was aimed at degrading Iranian military capabilities that could be used to threaten American forces and commercial shipping.

The strikes followed renewed tensions around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, where Washington has accused Iran of attempting to lay sea mines and attacking US military positions.

Iran, however, condemned the American operation and accused Washington of causing civilian casualties.

The Iranian Red Crescent said five people were killed and about 50 others wounded after shrapnel from a US missile struck a home where a wedding celebration was taking place near Sirik in Hormozgan province.

Iranian media reported that a four-year-old child was among those killed, while Iran’s official IRNA news agency, citing a provincial official, said 68 people were wounded.

IRNA separately reported that seven people were killed and eight others injured in US missile strikes on three locations in Khuzestan province.

The reported casualties have not been independently verified.

The US military has also not acknowledged deliberately targeting the wedding gathering.

CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins said the US military does not target civilians, maintaining that American operations are directed against military objectives.

The conflicting accounts have made the reported wedding strike one of the most contentious issues arising from the latest US-Iran confrontation.

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Iran has presented the incident as evidence of the civilian consequences of American military operations, while Washington maintains that its campaign is focused on Iranian military infrastructure.

The latest confrontation is closely linked to the growing crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passing through it under normal circumstances.

The security situation has deteriorated significantly since the conflict intensified, with shipping companies becoming increasingly cautious about sending vessels through the strait.

Recent shipping data showed a sharp decline in the number of commercial vessels transiting the waterway, reflecting concerns over missile attacks, sea mines and the wider military confrontation.

The situation has raised fears of a major disruption to global oil supplies, particularly if Iran attempts to restrict shipping through the strait.

Iran has repeatedly warned that if it is prevented from exporting its own crude oil, it could take measures that would affect other oil exports from the Gulf.

Any prolonged disruption could send crude oil prices significantly higher and increase fuel, transportation and electricity costs in countries that depend on Middle Eastern energy supplies.

The impact is already being felt in energy markets, with oil prices rising sharply as traders assess the risk of further disruption.

The crisis could also affect liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from major producers in the Gulf, adding further pressure to international energy markets.

The latest Iranian attacks came despite a strong warning from US President Donald Trump, who had threatened Tehran with a more severe response if Iran attacked American personnel or interests.

Trump warned that the next US response could come at a “much harder and higher level” and said an even larger attack was “waiting in the wings”.

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Iran nevertheless proceeded with its retaliation.

Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned that countries supporting or facilitating US military operations could also face Iranian attacks.

He said countries cooperating with Washington should expect what he described as “more severe, more widespread and destructive responses”.

The warning has increased concerns among countries that host US military bases across the Middle East.

American forces maintain a significant military presence in countries including Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Several of those countries have attempted to avoid becoming direct participants in the conflict while maintaining security cooperation with Washington.

The Iranian attacks nevertheless demonstrate the difficulty of keeping the conflict contained once missiles and drones begin targeting US military facilities across multiple countries.

The latest confrontation also highlights the military capabilities available to both sides.

Iran continues to possess a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones, allowing it to strike targets across much of the Middle East.

The United States, meanwhile, maintains substantial air and naval capabilities in the region and has increasingly focused its attacks on Iran’s air-defence systems, radar networks, maritime infrastructure and missile-related capabilities.

The result has been a dangerous cycle of escalation.

The US carries out strikes against Iranian military targets, Iran retaliates against US-linked facilities, Washington threatens a stronger response, and Tehran warns that it will expand its attacks if American operations continue.

The possibility of the confrontation spreading further has raised concerns among governments across the Middle East.

Countries hosting American troops face the difficult task of protecting their populations and infrastructure while avoiding direct involvement in the conflict.

The humanitarian consequences are also becoming increasingly serious.

Iranian authorities have reported civilian deaths and injuries from US strikes, while governments in countries targeted by Iran have had to activate air-defence systems to intercept incoming missiles and drones.

Even when most incoming weapons are intercepted, the threat creates risks for civilians living near military facilities and other strategic targets.

The conflict is also placing additional pressure on an already fragile regional economy.

A prolonged crisis around the Strait of Hormuz could increase shipping insurance premiums, disrupt supply chains and raise the cost of crude oil and natural gas.

For countries heavily dependent on imported petroleum products, higher international oil prices could translate into increased fuel prices and inflation.

The consequences could extend beyond the Middle East if the disruption becomes prolonged.

The latest escalation has also complicated diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a wider war.

Neither Washington nor Tehran appears willing to back down, with both sides presenting their military actions as necessary responses to threats posed by the other.

The United States says it is defending its forces and protecting commercial shipping, while Iran maintains that it is responding to American aggression and defending its sovereignty.

The reported civilian deaths at the wedding in southern Iran have added an emotional and political dimension to the conflict that could make de-escalation more difficult.

Iranian officials are likely to use the reported incident to strengthen domestic support for retaliation, while Washington is expected to maintain that its military operations are directed at Iranian military capabilities rather than civilians.

The immediate concern is whether the latest exchange will remain limited or trigger a broader regional war involving Iran, the United States and their respective allies.

With US military personnel stationed across the Gulf and Iran capable of launching missiles and drones against targets throughout the region, any miscalculation could rapidly widen the conflict.

For now, Tehran has demonstrated that it is prepared to retaliate despite Washington’s warnings, while US President Donald Trump has signalled that the United States is prepared to escalate further if American forces or interests are attacked.

The renewed fighting has therefore left the Middle East facing another period of heightened uncertainty, with civilian casualties, attacks on military bases, threats to shipping and rising oil prices all adding to concerns about where the conflict goes next.

Iran retaliates against US targets after strikes reportedly kill civilians at wedding