The United States conducted airstrikes against military targets in southern Iran early Thursday, responding to what American military officials described as a thwarted ballistic missile attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a U.S. airbase the previous night.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the strikes, which commenced at 8 p.m. ET (3:30 a.m. local time), stating they represented a "powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East." These actions mark the first U.S. strikes on Iranian territory since the White House concluded a two-week bombing campaign near the Strait of Hormuz last week.
The retaliatory strikes followed public vows from President Donald Trump, who stated Wednesday that the U.S. would retaliate for the alleged Iranian attack. Reports from Al-Monitor and other outlets indicated the incident targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. Trump had stated to Fox News on Wednesday morning, "We're going to beat the fucking shit out of them," and later told reporters, "We are going to be hitting them very hard."
Prior to the U.S. airstrikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's top policy official. Iranian state media confirmed explosions across southern Iran, with Press TV reporting a U.S. missile attack in areas near Abadan and explosions heard in Bushehr. The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that parts of the southern Hormozgan province, including Qeshm Island, were affected.
