Kathmandu [Nepal], July 19 – The United States launched airstrikes against military infrastructure linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday, retaliating after an Iranian attack on a US military base in Jordan killed two American soldiers. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the conflict centred on the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest military action comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran have surged following the collapse of a temporary agreement aimed at easing hostilities. The United States said the strikes targeted facilities used by the IRGC including coastal surveillance systems, air defence installations, naval assets and missile and drone storage sites.
According to US Central Command the operation was the first to directly target IRGC military infrastructure. Videos released by the US military showed fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from naval platforms striking multiple targets including a military base located in a mountainous area where Iran is believed to store missiles and other military equipment inside underground tunnels.
Iran said it had retaliated by targeting electricity infrastructure and seawater desalination facilities in Kuwait and warned that it could expand the scope of its military operations. The United Arab Emirates has since heightened its security preparedness amid fears of further regional escalation.
Iran has not released a detailed assessment of the damage caused by the latest US strikes. Iranian officials however said at least 50 people were killed and more than 500 injured in the attacks.
The conflict around the Strait of Hormuz has now entered its eighth day. The strategically vital waterway carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets.
The US military said the Jordan attack left two American soldiers dead, one missing and four others wounded. Since the conflict began, 16 US troops have been killed and more than 430 injured.
