By Zainab Bakare
The US military says it has carried out a “heavy wave” of strikes on Iran in retaliation for attempted Iranian missile attacks on American forces.
US Central Command said dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets were hit, including military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal defence sites and maritime capabilities.
Iranian state media reported that three people, including a two-year-old child, were killed in a strike on Qeshm Island. Other locations in southern and western Iran were also reportedly hit.
The latest escalation follows an Iranian missile attack on a US base in Jordan. The US said all the missiles were intercepted.
Jordan’s armed forces also said its air defence systems intercepted five Iranian missiles targeting the country.
The conflict has intensified despite recent signs of possible diplomatic engagement. President Donald Trump had earlier said the war would last only a few weeks, but the fighting has now continued for five months.
The US-Iran conflict has also spread beyond Iran, with recent joint US-Saudi strikes targeting Iran-backed groups in Iraq.
