Iran Launches Retaliatory Attacks on US Targets After Deadly Wedding Strike

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against United States-linked targets across parts of the Middle East after American forces resumed strikes against Iran, escalating an already tense confrontation between the two countries. The Iranian attacks were reported in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq and Bahrain, according to reports, after the US military carried out a new wave of strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday. The latest escalation followed reports that a US strike in southern Iran hit a residential building where a wedding celebration was taking place. The Iranian Red Crescent initially reported that four people, including a young child, were killed and more than 50 others injured after shrapnel from a missile struck the home in Sirik. Later reports put the death toll at five, while Iranian officials said dozens of people were wounded, many of them women and children. The US military acknowledged reports of civilian casualties but said it does not target civilians. US Central Command said the latest American strikes were directed at Iranian military targets and followed what it described as recent attempted attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US forces operating in the region. American officials said the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, radar installations, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards US targets and military positions in the region. Jordan said it intercepted incoming missiles, while Kuwait also reported intercepting missiles and drones. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps also claimed that it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone using a newly developed air-defence system. The renewed fighting marks a significant escalation after a period of relative calm between the two countries. The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation because of its importance to global oil and shipping routes. Iran has previously threatened to restrict shipping through the strategic waterway in response to military pressure from the US and its allies. The latest exchange has also raised concerns about the possibility of the conflict spreading beyond Iran and the United States, particularly as American military facilities and allied countries across the Middle East become potential targets. Iranian officials have condemned the latest US strikes and vowed retaliation, while Washington has maintained that its military action is aimed at countering threats to American forces and commercial shipping. With both sides continuing to exchange attacks, fears are growing that the renewed hostilities could trigger a wider regional conflict and further disrupt global energy markets. Diplomatic efforts to contain the confrontation now face renewed pressure as military operations continue on both sides.