The US military began carrying out airstrikes in Iran in the early hours of Thursday, Axios reported, citing a US official. The strikes came a day after an Iranian missile attack targeted a US military base in Jordan, prompting US President Donald Trump to warn that Iran would be hit “very hard".
Meanwhile, shortly after the report, US Central Command (CENTCOM) took to X and confirmed the strikes, saying they were carried out in response to Tuesday’s Iranian attacks on US bases in Jordan.
“The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East," the US military wrote.
Trump on Wednesday said, “It’s our turn," while speaking to reporters, claiming that Iran had acknowledged the missile launch was a mistake and had asked Washington not to retaliate.
“We’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
The latest US strikes on Iran come after a five-day pause that began last Friday, following 13 consecutive nights of intense attacks on Iranian targets.
Shortly after the US strikes, Iranian state media reported explosions in several parts of the country. Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster said blasts were heard in Bushehr province, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant, while other reports said explosions were also heard in southern regions.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported three explosions on Qeshm Island, with local residents claiming a missile had struck a residential area. No information on casualties was immediately available. Iran’s Press TV also reported explosions in multiple locations following the launch of the US attacks.
IRIB later reported that some locations in Abadan, in Khuzestan province, were targeted by US forces, citing a deputy security minister. The broadcaster also said explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province and on the islands of Abu Musa, Kish and Qeshm. Authorities said there were no reports of attacks on the city of Sirik.
