On Sunday, the United States launched airstrikes against targets of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The action responds to the death of American soldiers in Jordan.
According to US Central Command, the attacks damaged coastal surveillance, air defense facilities and missile depots. The objective: to weaken Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil trade.
The offensive totals eight days. Washington has attacked Iranian strategic infrastructure. Tehran responded with bombings against facilities in Kuwait, in addition to threatening other US allies in the region.
US officials said the bombing was retaliation for an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan. Two American soldiers died there, one is missing and four were wounded. Since the beginning of the conflict, the US reports 16 military deaths and more than 430 injuries.
Iran said the bombings left at least 50 people dead and more than 500 injured. Iran’s atomic energy agency confirmed that an attack hit the construction site of the Darkhovin nuclear power plant in the southwest of the country.
Impact on the Persian Gulf
Kuwait and Bahrain activated anti-aircraft defenses against Iranian drones and missiles. Kuwaiti authorities reported new attacks against a power and desalination plant, vital infrastructure for drinking water.
The United Arab Emirates called for restraint from all parties, after Iranian media broadcast threats against Emirati airports and ports. Tension remains high, with control of the Strait of Hormuz as a central factor.
