Iran says it will pursue ‘eye for an eye’ as US attack near Iraq border kills two

What Happened

For a 12th consecutive night, US forces struck targets on Iranian territory, with state media reporting two deaths and 11 wounded from a strike on Shalamcheh near the Iraq border, and two missiles hitting Bushehr, site of Iran’s only civilian nuclear plant. US Central Command confirmed the strikes, stating they aimed to “further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels.” President Trump threatened on social media that any Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz would be met with the bombing of an Iranian bridge or power plant. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared an “eye for an eye” defense doctrine, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have targeted US assets in Jordan and Kuwait, with the Iranian army spokesperson stating that “destructive drones” struck ammunition and logistics depots at Camp Doha, fuel tanks at Ali al-Salem base, and an ammunition depot at Camp Arifjan. The IRGC also announced it had prevented three oil tankers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, Yemen’s Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, in the Red Sea; Saudi Arabia confirmed the Encelia was hit, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a tanker hit by an unknown projectile 70 nautical miles southwest of Al Shuqaiq. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Houthis had been “snookered” into the conflict by Iran, while Oman stated it was working to resume talks between the Houthis and Riyadh.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The direct exchange of strikes between the US and Iran on Iranian territory and US regional bases marks an unprecedented escalation, risking a broader conflict that could destabilize the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for global oil transit. The involvement of the Houthis targeting Saudi ships extends the confrontation to the Red Sea, potentially disrupting two critical maritime corridors and drawing in Saudi Arabia more directly.

Watch For

Monitor whether the US continues the 13th consecutive night of strikes and if Iran follows through with additional retaliatory attacks on US assets. Watch for any further Houthi attacks on Saudi or commercial shipping and the outcome of Oman’s bid to restart Houthi-Saudi talks. Note any change in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz or the Red Sea.