Middle East ablaze with missiles and drones as US strikes target Iran’s heartland

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following a wave of intense US strikes targeting the Iranian heartland. Tehran responded with a wide-ranging military campaign, including missile and drone attacks on US military installations and facilities in Gulf and other Arab states. These developments coincided with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s announcement of the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its deployment of naval mines. US strikes mark seventh night of renewed conflict The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the conclusion of its seventh consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran. CENTCOM explained that the attacks utilized fighter jets, drones, and warships, targeting Iranian observation posts, military infrastructure, underground weapons depots, and naval capabilities. Iranian media outlets, including Tasnim and IRNA, reported that the country was subjected to a renewed wave of US attacks early Saturday morning. The attacks were concentrated in the provinces of Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Bushehr, Yazd, Darab, Lar, Ahvaz, and Qeshm, where loud explosions were heard in the city of Bandar Abbas as a result of aircraft flying overhead, in addition to explosions in Sirik, Qeshm Island, Hormuz Island, and Jadak in Bushehr province. The strikes also targeted areas in the center of the country, in addition to an explosion in the city of Omidiyeh in Khuzestan. Iranian television and officials in Hormozgan province in the south of the country announced that US attacks had resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to eight others, according to initial reports. American forces attacked three bridges and tunnels in Hormozgan, causing significant damage and disrupting the road connecting Bandar Abbas and Rudan. This prompted local authorities to close several main roads and urge residents to refrain from unnecessary travel due to the possibility of renewed bombing. ISNA news agency reported that work had begun to repair the transportation infrastructure. Another US attack struck an area near the city of Jask, targeting electricity facilities and water desalination pumps in the village of Bunji, leading to a disruption of drinking water supplies to several villages in the city. And an American missile struck a maritime traffic control tower on Larak Island. Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of final exams on Sunday and Monday in the provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan, and Sistan and Baluchestan. Targeting neighboring countries The Iranian army and Revolutionary Guard launched a military operation targeting what they described as “American interests” and military bases in countries in the region. The Kuwaiti army announced that its air defenses intercepted “hostile” Iranian missile and drone attacks. As a result of the closure of Kuwaiti airspace on Saturday, Kuwait Airways announced the rescheduling of most of its flights, while the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy reported that another power and water desalination plant was subjected to an “Iranian attack.” In Bahrain, the Iranian military announced it had targeted US military facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base with drones, in addition to targeting bridges in Bahrain. The Bahraini Ministry of Interior urged citizens and residents to seek shelter in the nearest safe location after air raid sirens sounded again across the country. The Bahrain Defense Force confirmed that its air defense systems had intercepted several “treacherous Iranian aerial attacks.” Saudi Civil Defense issued a warning about a potential threat in Yanbu province. Axios reported a US official as saying that Iran had launched a ballistic missile targeting a US base in Saudi Arabia. The Iranian military also announced it had targeted US military facilities at Azraq Air Base in Jordan with drones. In response, the Jordanian military said that its air defenses had successfully intercepted 10 Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom. Strait of Hormuz closed The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire while attempting to pass through a minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC warned that the Strait of Hormuz has become “extremely dangerous” and is completely closed due to what it described as “aggression by the US military,” emphasizing that “as long as US aggression continues, neither fertilizers nor a single drop of oil or gas can be exported from the region.” It urged ships to refrain from entering the minefield in the Strait of Hormuz to protect their investments and their crews, and revealed the success of a missile and drone operation that halted four oil tankers attempting to transit the strait. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm