Iran says it struck US bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait as Gulf fighting escalates

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Monday they struck U.S. military targets in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, according to state media, hours after the U.S. carried out a new round of strikes on Iranian military sites. The exchange marks a sharp escalation in a conflict that began in late February. Oil prices jumped as markets opened in Tokyo.

Which US bases did Iran say it struck?

Iran's IRNA news agency said the Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, a U.S. drone command center in Bahrain, and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The Guards also said they struck Oman, a country that had largely stayed out of direct attacks. Oman summoned Iran's ambassador in protest.

What did the US strike in Iran?

U.S. Central Command said its forces struck Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats. It said this marked the first time fighter aircraft, naval vessels, and one-way attack drones and sea drones were all used together. The latest operation began at 2100 GMT Sunday, following roughly 140 strikes the night before.

Iranian state media reported U.S. strikes across southern and western Iran, including Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz, and Khuzestan province near the Iraqi border. IRNA said strikes killed one person and wounded four others at a water pumping station in Mahshahr. A soldier was also reported killed in Khuzestan.

Is the Strait of Hormuz still open?

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the strait would remain closed "until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region." CENTCOM disputed that claim, saying the waterway remained open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit. The dispute follows an Iranian attack early Sunday on a commercial vessel that forced its crew to abandon ship after it caught fire.

Which other countries reported attacks?

Sirens and explosions were reported in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, according to AFP journalists and local authorities. Kuwait said three northern border posts were damaged and an offshore drilling platform was hit by a hostile drone, injuring one person. Jordan said three Iranian missiles fell inside its territory.

Iranian media reported at least 10 "enemy projectiles" struck Qeshm Island, while strikes on Farur Island killed a telecommunications worker and wounded two others. A Cyprus-flagged container ship was also attacked in the waterway Sunday, leaving one Indian sailor missing. Oman said it rescued 23 crew members from a separate commercial ship after they abandoned it in a lifeboat.

How has the international community responded?

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the U.S. attacks had "caused the return of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz" and undermined regional peace efforts. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called for de-escalation in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, saying dialogue remained the only viable path forward. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also appealed for calm, with his spokesman saying the attacks "must stop."

Oil prices rose more than 3.5% when futures trading opened Monday in Tokyo, with U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude climbing above $74 a barrel.