The US and Iran resumed attacks after weeks of reduced fighting, with Tehran launching missiles and drones at US facilities across the Gulf and reporting at least 11 civilian deaths in its territory, including five people at a wedding, Reuters reported.
US Central Command said the operation focused on infrastructure used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including air-defense and radar systems, communications sites, maritime assets, and mine-laying capabilities.
Iranian media reported strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, where control of commercial shipping has become a central issue in the conflict.
The escalation comes after a June ceasefire arrangement expired and Washington announced new sanctions against Iran and its trading partners last month.
Iranian Strikes
Tehran retaliated against US military facilities in four countries in the Middle East, prompting regional governments to activate their air defenses.
Jordan detected 13 Iranian ballistic missiles in its airspace and intercepted 10, while the remaining three fell in remote areas.
Iran said the attack killed American troops, but two US officials said initial assessments found no casualties.
Bahrain reported intercepting Iranian drones, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed an attack on Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base targeting drone facilities and a US commander’s quarters.
Meanwhile, a drone struck a residential complex in Kuwait City, causing damage and a fire but no casualties.
Iran also claimed to have attacked US facilities in Erbil, northern Iraq, with missiles and drones.
The reported attack and US troop casualties remain unconfirmed by Washington and Baghdad.
Civilian Casualties
Iran said the latest US strikes hit a building hosting a wedding in Sirik, southern Iran, killing five people, including a 4-year-old child, and injuring more than 50 others.
According to Reuters, the US military said it was reviewing the reports but maintained that civilians had not been deliberately targeted. The circumstances could not be independently verified.
Iranian state media also reported seven deaths and eight injuries from US missile strikes at three locations in Khuzestan province.
Other civilian casualties from US strikes have been recorded throughout the conflict, which began with American and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
On the opening day, at least 175 children and teachers were killed when a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab was struck, according to Iranian officials.
A preliminary US military investigation found that American forces were likely responsible, possibly after relying on outdated targeting data, but the Pentagon has not released a final report.
Earlier this year, the United Nations reported that at least 1,332 civilians had been killed during the opening phase of the war.
