The fragile truce between the United States and Iran faced a critical test at dawn on Wednesday following an exchange of military strikes in the Gulf region. Washington launched raids against Iranian defensive positions near the Strait of Hormuz, stating the operation was a response to the downing of a US Apache helicopter.
Tehran retaliated by announcing strikes against American military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. This sharp escalation severely threatens the course of faltering negotiations aimed at ending the war that has been ongoing since February.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out missile and drone attacks against American bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, in response to what it described as “American aggression” that targeted Iranian sites in Qeshm, Sirik, and Jask near the Strait of Hormuz. An unnamed US official cited by Reuters estimated that 20 targets were hit.
The Iranian strikes came hours after the US Central Command announced the conclusion of a military operation that lasted about four hours and targeted air defense systems, ground control stations, and radar surveillance sites.
CENTCOM stated the operation was carried out under the direction of US President Donald Trump in response to the downing of an American Apache helicopter during a reconnaissance mission near the Strait.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday evening that Iran had shot down the US helicopter, confirming that the two pilots survived the incident, which he described as “not a big deal,” before telling ABC News that the US response must be “very strong, very powerful.”
Iranian media reported that the US strikes targeted Qeshm Island, the coastal city of Sirik, and areas near Bandar Abbas and Jask, while the Tasnim news agency said the attacks caused damage to a communications tower and two water tanks.
The Revolutionary Guard announced the targeting of four sites inside the American Al-Azraq base in Jordan, which included hangars for F-35 fighter jets and a command and control center, in addition to American sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iranian media also spoke of a drone attack targeting the US Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain.
The Jordanian Armed Forces announced the interception and downing of five missiles launched toward the Al-Azraq area, confirming that no casualties or damage occurred.
The Kuwaiti army also announced that its air defenses engaged hostile targets, while the media advisor to the King of Bahrain said that Bahraini air defenses repelled Iranian attacks.
Reuters quoted the US official as saying that preliminary assessments indicate the interception of most Iranian missiles and drones, adding that Washington has not received reports of casualties or damage at its military sites.
The escalation comes at a time of growing doubts regarding the chances of reaching an agreement to end the war that broke out on Feb. 28 following the start of joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, to which Tehran responded by targeting Israel and US bases in the region and imposing extensive restrictions on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The escalation also threatens the path of political negotiations that Trump repeatedly speaks of as being close to success. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said his country needs to “re-evaluate” the diplomatic path with Washington after today’s events, accusing the United States of sending contradictory messages and undermining negotiation efforts through repeated ceasefire violations.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue to face obstacles related to the future of the Iranian nuclear program, uranium enrichment levels, and the lifting of US sanctions, alongside Tehran’s adherence to linking any permanent agreement to ending the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.
At the same time, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Gulf states against allowing the use of their territories or facilities in any US or Israeli operations against Iran, considering that the countries hosting foreign bases bear a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent such attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on foreign forces to leave the region if they want to avoid risks, stressing that Tehran prefers diplomatic solutions but “is good at speaking other languages as well.”
Araghchi said via X, “Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination. Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe. History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders.”
These statements come at a time when the chances of soon reaching an agreement between the two sides are declining, with the repetition of military confrontation and its rising pace since the ceasefire took effect last April.
