Iran war day 104: Iran attacks US bases, closes strait after Trump strikes

What Happened

Under orders from President Donald Trump, the US military's Central Command launched strikes against multiple targets inside Iran, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as hitting 'key facilities' in an effort to force a ceasefire and 'expand the diplomatic field'. Trump told Fox News that 49 Tomahawk missiles were fired, some landing within 40 miles of Tehran, while fighter jets targeted radar and air defence systems near the Gulf. Hegseth warned operations could continue for a second night. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed, via state media, attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. Iran’s top military command also announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warning vessels to stay away or risk attack. In Hormozgan province, two concrete water storage reservoirs in Sirik county were hit during the US strikes, which Iranian media said disrupted water supplies but were restored within 12 hours. A New York Times analysis suggested the tanks may have been struck with precision-guided munitions, raising concerns as international humanitarian law considers civilian water infrastructure a protected site. Kuwait closed its airspace, and the US State Department issued a shelter-in-place alert for Jordan due to projectiles entering the airspace. Trump claimed senior Iranian officials contacted him seeking a halt to attacks, a claim Iran rejected. Israeli forces reported two projectiles from Lebanon fell near troops in southern Lebanon, causing no casualties.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The direct military exchange marks a severe escalation in US-Iran tensions, moving beyond proxy warfare to open strikes on each other’s forces and territory. Closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil passes, threatens energy markets and global economic stability. The reported targeting of civilian water infrastructure with precision munitions raises potential violations of international humanitarian law, while simultaneous alerts in Kuwait and Jordan underscore the conflict’s expanding geographic scope and risk of drawing in US allies.

Watch For

Immediate focus: whether a second night of US strikes occurs as Hegseth indicated; Iran’s enforcement of the Strait of Hormuz closure and any incidents involving commercial or military vessels; Washington’s response to the water reservoir strike and any legal or humanitarian reactions; diplomatic channels (including Omani backchannel and possible UN Security Council meeting); and the impact on global oil markets and regional aviation. Also monitor the US-announced ceasefire in Lebanon, which Israeli strikes continue to violate.