Iran strikes US base in Jordan as American bombardment continues

What Happened

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed drone strikes on a United States base in Jordan, describing the attack as retaliation for a strike launched from that base that hit 'the vicinity of a children's cancer hospital.' The IRGC also stated that it targeted US military facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, hitting radar systems, a Patriot air defence system, and fuel storage, and struck Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Bahrain's military said its air defence systems confronted, intercepted, and destroyed multiple Iranian aerial attacks on Thursday, denouncing Iran's 'systematic hostile approach.' Concurrently, the United States conducted seven hours of raids on Wednesday, which the Iranian army said killed seven personnel in a missile strike near Iranshahr. An Iranian military spokesman warned that Iran would 'crush' regional infrastructure if the United States attacks Iran's key facilities. President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a recently lifted blockade on Iranian shipping in the Gulf, threatened to destroy Pickaxe Mountain—a deeply buried nuclear site near Natanz—and notified Congress of resumed conflict, granting the Pentagon an additional 60 days to operate without congressional approval. Iran's parliament introduced a bill to ensure security of the Strait of Hormuz, and Pakistan encouraged both sides to end hostilities and resume talks under a mediated memorandum of understanding.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

This marks a sharp escalation in direct US-Iran hostilities, with both sides conducting and claiming strikes on each other's military assets across multiple countries. The expansion to bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain risks drawing Gulf states deeper into the conflict, while Trump's blockade and threats against Iran's nuclear infrastructure signal a return to maximum pressure tactics. The introduction of a Strait of Hormuz security bill by Iran's parliament and the US imposition of transit fees raise the stakes for global energy shipping, making diplomatic off-ramps urgent.

Watch For

Immediate US military response to IRGC's claimed strikes on regional bases; progress or collapse of Pakistan-mediated talks under the memorandum of understanding; implementation details of Trump's shipping blockade and transit fees; Iran's parliamentary debate on the Hormuz security bill; any further exchanges within the Pentagon's 60-day operational window; and whether threats to Pickaxe Mountain are actualised.