American military forces carried out a series of targeted strikes against Iranian infrastructure early Thursday, aiming to reduce Tehran's ability to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Guardian.
The operation prompted immediate retaliatory missile and drone launches from Iran against US-allied nations in the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
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US Central Command said the strikes focused on the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, a key hub for the Iranian navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
This marked the first time during the current escalation that explosions affected areas around the capital Tehran, with reports of blasts near civilian nuclear and ballistic missile production plants in several provinces.
US Central Command confirmed that American aircraft disabled an oil tanker attempting to breach the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz by firing missiles into its smokestack.
In response, the Iranian army targeted American communication networks and fuel depots in Jordan with kamikaze drones, though Jordanian forces intercepted eight incoming missiles.
Iranian authorities said the strikes hit an army barracks, killing at least seven soldiers and wounding hundreds.
The Iranian health ministry reported that recent US operations in southern Iran have killed at least 30 people and injured 260.
Global oil markets reacted to the hostilities, with Brent crude rising above $85 per barrel on Wednesday, a 15 percent increase from pre-war levels but still below the peak conflict valuation of nearly $120.
