Iran Fires Missiles at Regional Neighbors After New US Strikes Defy Trump's Warnings

The US military carried out additional strikes on Iran on Tuesday, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks against Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. This escalation came in direct defiance of a warning from President Donald Trump that any retaliation would result in Iran being hit "much harder."

The latest exchange follows overnight clashes between the US and Iran earlier in the week, breaking a period of relative military calm and threatening to reignite the broader conflict. Following the US strikes, President Donald Trump warned on Truth Social that Iran would face even harsher military action if it struck back against what he termed a "very justified attack."

In response, Iran vowed a "crushing" reaction, firing ballistic missiles toward Jordan and launching drones toward Bahrain and Kuwait while targeting US military assets. Tehran claimed that shrapnel from a US strike hit a wedding celebration in the country's south, resulting in civilian casualties, including a toddler. CNN reached out to US Central Command (CENTCOM) for comment regarding the claim.

CENTCOM stated that the US strikes were executed in retaliation for recent attempted Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American troops deployed to the region. According to maritime intelligence groups and traffic monitoring agencies, two tankers have been struck by projectiles since the US military action began.

Tuesday's operation targeted air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, and communications infrastructure linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The strikes commenced at 12 p.m. ET and concluded over six hours later.

The renewed hostilities occurred despite President Donald Trump previously signaling a shift away from military campaigns toward heightened economic pressure. Following the Iranian retaliation, oil futures rose above $94 a barrel, while Jordanian authorities reported intercepting 10 missiles, with three others landing in remote areas.

Kuwait and Bahrain also deployed air defense systems to intercept incoming Iranian drones, and Iran claimed responsibility for a combined drone and missile attack on Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Meanwhile, US strikes hit multiple locations across Iran, including port cities, regional airports, and petrochemical hubs.