On Wednesday, the United States conducted military strikes on Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, antiship cruise missiles, and drone launch sites in southern Iran, an unnamed US official told Reuters, according to Al Jazeera.

Iranian Retaliation and Closure of Hormuz Strait

In response. The Iranian Major Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had struck 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. Reported by Al Jazeera — Separately. KBS News reported that Iran launched airstrikes on 18 US military bases in the Middle East within three hours of the initial US attack, Iranian state media claimed several US combat aircraft, including F-35s, were destroyed at an air base in Jordan.

Iran has also reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key international shipping route, according to KBS News; the move raises concerns about regional security and global oil supply chains.

Explosions and Casualties in Southern Iran

Iranian media reported several explosions in the southern port city of Sirik, where projectiles hit commercial and fishing piers, as well as Qeshm Island and areas near Bandar Abbas, according to Al Jazeera. Sirens also sounded in Kuwait and Bahrain hours after the initial attacks on Iran, Kuwait’s military said its air defenses were confronting “hostile” missile and drone attacks.

Several people were injured by shrapnel at the Sirik commercial pier, Iranian state media reported; the IRGC later said it had shot down a US MQ9 drone in southern Iran.

International Reactions and Ceasefire Concerns

US President Donald Trump was attending the NATO summit in Turkiye when the attacks occurred. The escalation risks derailing a recent ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran to extend their ceasefire and enter into peace talks, according to Al Jazeera.

NATO chief Mark Rutte defended the US strikes, calling them “absolutely necessary” and stating the US had to “forcefully react” to what he described as a breach of the ceasefire agreement. An Iranian missile launched over Jordan was reportedly intercepted, and the area around nearby US military bases was covered in black smoke, as reported by KBS News.

The situation highlights a rapidly deteriorating security environment in the region, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire; no immediate indication has been given by either country that negotiations will be abandoned, but the level of violence suggests a highly escalated situation.