The United States and Iran have carried out their most significant exchange of attacks since July, renewing concerns that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East.
American forces said they targeted Iranian air-defence systems, radar installations and military communications infrastructure along Iran’s southern coast. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward American military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq.
Iranian authorities also accused the United States of striking a private home during a wedding celebration in Kuhestak, near Sirik in southern Iran. Different Iranian agencies initially reported between four and five deaths, including children, while more than 60 people were reportedly injured. The variation in the preliminary casualty figures reflects continuing efforts to verify information from the scene.
U.S. Central Command said its operations were directed at military targets and that it was examining reports of civilian casualties. Independent confirmation of every claim from either side was not immediately available.
Why it matters: The escalation places civilians and military personnel in several countries at risk and could further disrupt shipping and energy markets around the Strait of Hormuz.
