Iran launches missile strikes on Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain after US attacks

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced missile attacks on the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan, which hosts U.S. F-35 fighter jets, and also targeted locations in Kuwait and Bahrain. The strikes came after the United States launched a series of air strikes on Iran in response to an Apache helicopter that was downed over the Strait of Hormuz, an incident the U.S. said involved a collision with an Iranian drone.

U.S. Central Command reported that nearly 20 Iranian sites were hit and that the operation was completed, adding that U.S. forces remain ready to defend against “unjustified Iranian aggression.” Iranian state media said the missiles were intercepted by Jordanian defenses, with debris causing no injuries.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned regional Gulf states of a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran and said any attack would not go unanswered. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the strikes as “targeted, proportional and defensive,” while noting the necessity of the response.

The escalation has affected markets, with Asian indices falling and oil prices rising modestly. Analysts said the price movements reflect concerns about potential supply disruptions if the conflict widens.