The US military resumed strikes against Iran on Tuesday, prompting missile and drone attacks from Tehran targeting US interests in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that five people, including a child, were killed and over 50 injured when shrapnel from a US missile hit a home during a wedding celebration in Sirik, southern Iran. The US military stated it was aware of these reports but emphasized that it does not target civilians.
US Central Command (Centcom) indicated that the strikes were a response to recent attempted attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US forces in the region. In retaliation for the attack in Sirik, the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at a US Marine base in Aqaba, Jordan, with the Jordanian Armed Forces intercepting 13 missiles, destroying 10, while three fell in uninhabited areas, resulting in no casualties.
The Kuwait army reported that its air defenses were activated in response to Iranian missile attacks early Wednesday. Iranian state media also reported several explosions in Bahrain and that the IRGC targeted US bases in Iraq's Kurdistan region, destroying a maintenance center and warehouses.
The US had resumed attacks on Iran after a month-long pause, targeting rocket launchers used to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Following these events, Iranian state media reported that projectiles hit areas in Chabahar, Konarak, and an airport in Jiroft, with explosions heard in Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas. US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins reiterated that the US military does not target civilians, contrasting its actions with those of the IRGC.
The conflict has escalated since the expiration of a ceasefire agreement in June, with both sides engaging in hostilities, including attacks on shipping. The US has also implemented new sanctions against Iran and countries trading with it, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that many US allies are committed to enforcing these sanctions.