We are providing live updates on the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
A recent escalation in conflict has led to the United States conducting extensive airstrikes against Iran, resulting in reports from Iranian state media indicating that 11 individuals lost their lives during overnight assaults, including four victims from a wedding ceremony.
Among the deceased was a four-year-old boy, as reported by Iran’s Fars news agency, following a series of U.S. airstrikes near Sirik, a port city in southern Iran. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that over 50 people sustained injuries when debris struck the location of the wedding in Hormozgan province. The U.S. has not yet responded to these claims.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran condemned the U.S. military’s actions, stating that the bombing turned a joyous wedding into a scene of grief, with a residential home in Sirik being devastated. According to their statement, nearly 70 innocent individuals were affected, leading to the deaths of four, including a child.
In retaliation, the IRGC claimed to have launched attacks on U.S. military installations in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Erbil in Iraq. They asserted that several enemy personnel were killed and drones were destroyed in a missile and drone assault on Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait, which is known to host U.S. forces; however, these claims have not been verified by American or Kuwaiti military officials.
Kuwait reported missile and drone strikes early in the morning, which resulted in a fire at a residential building in the capital. The fire was controlled without any reported injuries. The Kuwaiti army confirmed that their air defense systems were actively responding to the attacks and urged citizens to adhere to safety protocols.
Former President Donald Trump issued a warning that any Iranian retaliation would result in a significantly stronger U.S. response. He stated on his Truth Social platform that while this assault was substantial, an even larger response was prepared, suggesting it would leave little of the Islamic Republic of Iran intact.
In another post, Trump clarified that he did not wish to pressure Iran into negotiations and expressed indifference toward any potential agreements that might be reached. He stated that he preferred the current U.S. position, which includes near-total control over the Strait of Hormuz and a deteriorating Iranian economy.
In additional developments, Trump reiterated in a conversation with Fox News that Iran would face total destruction should it attempt to retaliate against the U.S., suggesting that if hostilities continued, Iran would be completely obliterated as a nation. Previously, he had made threats to return Iran to a primitive state and warned that a significant loss of life would occur if peace was not achieved.
IRGC spokesperson Sardar Mohebi indicated on X that the U.S. would endure severe consequences and would come to regret its recent military actions.
Jordanian military officials announced that they intercepted 10 out of 13 Iranian ballistic missiles, with the remaining three landing in uninhabited areas. This followed IRGC claims of killing a significant number of U.S. personnel and destroying several installations in a ballistic missile strike on U.S. Marine barracks at Camp Titin, located near Aqaba. However, both Reuters and Al Jazeera reported, based on U.S. sources, that there were no injuries or damage from this attack.
This recent wave of violence began when the U.S. military targeted rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, marking its first strikes against Iran since July. This action was prompted by intelligence indicating that Iran was preparing to deploy new naval mines in this crucial waterway. In response, Iran launched missiles at U.S. positions in Jordan, which were intercepted, as well as at the UAE, which reported stopping an Iranian drone approaching its territorial waters.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that if the U.S. were to return to a peace agreement aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict, Iran would respond in kind. He expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow’s supportive position on the matter during discussions held at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which included various world leaders such as China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The IRGC reported that four of its members were killed in a U.S. airstrike in Kermanshah, a western province of Iran, though additional details were not provided.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator, criticized the U.S. for the reported attack on the wedding, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of two children, comparing the U.S. to “Satan.” In a post on X, he referenced previous U.S. strikes that also led to civilian casualties, including attacks on a school in Minab and a sports facility in Lamerd.
Photographs believed to be from Sirik, southern Iran, have emerged, showing the aftermath of the U.S. strike that reportedly killed four individuals at the wedding, including a four-year-old boy and a 16-year-old.
