US Conducts Extensive Airstrikes on Iranian Revolutionary Guards Targets Following Missile Attacks

The US military announced it completed a series of airstrikes overnight targeting dozens of Iranian Revolutionary Guards facilities. The US Central Command confirmed the strikes were a direct response to ballistic missile attacks launched by the Guards against American forces stationed in Jordan the previous day. The targets included military command centers, drone and missile production sites, maritime and land surveillance facilities, and naval capabilities. The strikes aimed to reduce threats posed by Iran and its proxies to US forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf states.

The missile attacks by Iran's Revolutionary Guards were intercepted successfully, with no damage reported. The US currently has over 50,000 troops deployed in the Middle East, maintaining readiness with high combat capabilities. Prior to the strikes, reports indicated President Donald Trump was considering escalating the air campaign, with US military leadership proposing a 10 to 14-day intensive airstrike operation to degrade Iran's remaining missile capabilities. Defense Secretary Mark Esper supported the plan, while Trump was also weighing more limited strikes that would preserve diplomatic options.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, argued that routine airstrikes had not sufficiently deterred the Revolutionary Guards from threatening freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or launching attacks on US forces. He recommended intensifying air operations to significantly reduce Iran's missile threat, which could lessen the need for defensive ammunition. The recent strikes followed Iranian missile launches against US forces in Jordan, and subsequent US-Saudi airstrikes on pro-Iranian militias in Iraq reportedly killed about 20 Iranian advisors.