US Conducts Multiple Airstrikes on Iran Following Iranian Attacks in Gulf

In the early hours of Thursday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have attacked four US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. This was in retaliation for US strikes on Bandar Abbas and Sirik near the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the Bushehr airport area in southern Iran. These US attacks followed President Donald Trump's threat of a "strong strike" against Iran for a second consecutive night.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Aribabadi warned that American actions "will not go unanswered." Shortly after, the US military confirmed it had launched attacks inside Iran, completing a round of strikes aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and innocent civilians in the Strait of Hormuz. The US targeted approximately 90 Iranian military sites overnight, including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage facilities, naval capabilities, and logistical infrastructure along Iran's coastline.

Around 03:35 local time, alarms sounded in Bahrain and Qatar, with early warnings later canceled. The Associated Press reported these alarms were triggered by additional US strikes in Iran rather than Iranian retaliation. Shortly after, Kuwait also issued alerts, with its Defense Ministry stating it was "dealing with hostile Iranian drones and missiles."

Following the strikes, President Trump posted on Truth Social that the attacks were retaliation for Iranian assaults on ships, warning that any further incidents would escalate the situation. En route to the US aboard Air Force One, Trump described Iranians as "sick people" and claimed the US had already militarily defeated them, stating, "We are hitting them 20 times harder than they hit us."

US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the strikes were ordered by the top commander to further reduce Iran's capability to threaten freedom of navigation in the vital international waterway. The US demanded Iran be held accountable for its recent unjustified aggression against commercial vessels and civilian crews.

In Israel, the defense establishment reported no change in the security assessment or unusual IDF activity. However, since the ceasefire after Operation Guardian of the Walls, the IDF has maintained high readiness, strengthening various units and preparing air defense systems and target banks for potential future Iranian threats.