Iran has launched attacks on US military targets in the Middle East in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian territory, triggering a fresh escalation in the six-month conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday that it struck two US military air bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles, claiming the attacks caused “heavy damage”.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted eight missiles but did not disclose where they were launched from.
Iran also said it targeted US military personnel at an air base in the United Arab Emirates and shot down a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks came a day after the United States carried out its first strikes on Iranian territory in a month.
Washington said on Sunday that US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island after observing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel allegedly preparing to launch rockets and deploy sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
“US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command said.
The Revolutionary Guards said the US strikes caused “casualties” and described Iran’s subsequent missile attacks as a response to “the US-Zionist aerial aggression”.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was not seeking a wider conflict but would respond to attacks.
“We are not seeking war, but we will deliver a decisive response to the aggressors,” Pezeshkian said in a statement quoted by state television.
Conflict Flares After Weeks of Reduced Fighting
The latest exchange of fire came as the war between the United States and Iran passed the six-month mark.
Hostilities had eased in recent weeks, with the administration of US President Donald Trump placing greater emphasis on what it described as “economic warfare” against Tehran rather than direct military strikes.
However, the Strait of Hormuz has remained a major flashpoint.
Iran has effectively blocked the strategic waterway, which previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply before the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.
US Central Command said it recently completed operations to clear sea mines from international shipping routes in the strait.
“Last week, CENTCOM completed clearing sea mines from the strait’s international shipping routes,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command.
“US forces are monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through this essential waterway,” he added.
Peace Efforts Stall
Diplomatic efforts led by mediators, including Pakistan and Qatar, have sought for months to end the conflict.
Although an April ceasefire ended the most intense period of fighting, and a memorandum of understanding towards a final peace agreement was signed in June, negotiations have failed to produce a lasting settlement.
Washington has since intensified economic pressure on Tehran, while a US naval counterblockade of Iranian ports has added pressure to Iran’s fuel supplies amid a shortfall in domestic production.
The April ceasefire reduced large-scale fighting, but sporadic attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have continued to undermine hopes of a permanent peace agreement.
Before Sunday’s operation, the last reported US strike on Iran came on July 29, when the US military said it responded to “an attempted surprise attack on US forces” in the region.
Earlier in July, US Central Command carried out attacks on Iranian targets for 13 consecutive nights.
Throughout the conflict, Iran has struck US facilities and Washington’s allies across the Gulf, including targets in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Oil Prices Rise as Tensions Return
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created wider economic consequences, contributing to rising energy prices and shortages of fertiliser and other products.
Both major crude oil benchmarks rose by at least two per cent on Monday as the latest escalation raised concerns about further disruption to global energy supplies.
The war has also become increasingly unpopular among the US public ahead of November’s midterm elections, which could determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress.
US Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticised Trump’s handling of the conflict on Friday.
“Six months later, not a single objective has been achieved,” Reed said.
“Indeed, he has weakened our position in the Middle East and the world significantly.”
The latest Iranian attacks have now raised fresh concerns that months of reduced fighting could give way to another period of direct military escalation between Washington and Tehran.
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