DID Press: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a wave of retaliatory operations overnight in response to U.S. missile and naval attacks on Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island and Jask. News reports said Iranian forces fired a large number of missiles and that explosions were reported at U.S. bases in Jordan and Bahrain, with reports of dozens of American military casualties.
The escalation followed a U.S. military attack on an Iranian oil tanker about four miles from Kharg Island, prompting domestic and international media to report a new wave of military tensions in the Persian Gulf.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had attacked U.S. Navy vessels for a second time. Arab and Israeli sources also reported hearing explosions in Bahrain and a direct missile strike on a U.S. base in Jordan. Hebrew-language channels described the attack as Iran’s largest missile operation since the latest ceasefire.
The Pentagon reported that at least 26 U.S. soldiers had been wounded, while The New York Times also reported casualties among U.S. forces. Reports said Iran used advanced Khorramshahr/Kheibar Shekan missiles and separating warheads in the operation, while U.S. and Jordanian air-defense systems reportedly failed to prevent a significant number of missiles from reaching their targets despite firing more than 70 Patriot missiles.
The developments came as Western sources expressed concern over Iran’s growing missile capabilities and the possibility of intelligence cooperation between Tehran, Russia and China to identify U.S. naval vessels.