DUBAI, July 19 – The United States carried out a new wave of airstrikes against Iran on Sunday after American troops were killed in Jordan, while Iranian missile launches toward Jordan raised fears that the conflict could spill into Israel. The latest escalation marks another step toward a broader regional confrontation, with both sides increasingly targeting strategic infrastructure and military assets.
US expands strikes on Iranian military targets
The U.S. military said the operation was aimed at facilities linked to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which Washington blames for the attack that killed American service members on Friday. According to U.S. Central Command, the strikes targeted coastal surveillance installations, air-defense systems, maritime capabilities, and storage sites used for missiles and drones.
Footage released by the U.S. military showed fighter aircraft conducting precision strikes, while Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from naval vessels struck additional targets. Some of the locations appeared to be in mountainous areas where the Revolutionary Guard has long been believed to maintain missile bases and underground military facilities.
The campaign has now entered its second week and has expanded beyond military targets. Previous strikes have included bridges, electrical facilities, and water desalination infrastructure in Iran, reflecting Washington’s effort to pressure Tehran by damaging assets considered important to the country’s economy and logistics.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said one of the American strikes hit the construction site of the planned Darkhovin nuclear power plant in southwestern Iran. State television reported that the site was under development and had not yet become operational. Satellite imagery showed that major construction work had not progressed far, and the International Atomic Energy Agency later noted that no nuclear material was present at the location during its most recent inspection.
U.S. officials have argued that the strikes are intended to reduce Iran’s ability to influence shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and to retaliate swiftly against Revolutionary Guard forces. The Guard remains one of the most powerful institutions in Iran and oversees much of the country’s ballistic missile program.
Jordan and nearly every Gulf Arab state have been targeted
Iran responded with missile launches toward Jordan, prompting air-defense activations across several U.S.-allied countries. Jordan’s military said it intercepted multiple missiles and reported no casualties or damage. The kingdom hosts major American military facilities and relies heavily on U.S.-supplied air-defense systems.
The missile activity also prompted warnings from Israel. The Israeli military said missiles heading toward the Jordanian port city of Aqaba could potentially cross into Israeli airspace, creating the risk of falling debris or interception fragments reaching Israeli territory.
In Eilat, Israel’s southern resort city located near Aqaba, security officials said two interceptors were launched from the outskirts of the city as a precaution. Local authorities warned residents to remain alert, though no direct strike was reported.
The development was significant because Iran has largely focused its recent retaliatory attacks on Arab states aligned with the United States rather than on Israel itself. Analysts say Tehran may be attempting to avoid opening another major front while still demonstrating that it can threaten American partners across the region.
Kuwait also reported fresh attacks on critical infrastructure. The country’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said a power and desalination plant was struck for the second time in two days, causing fires but not disrupting the national power grid. Kuwait depends on desalination for roughly 90% of its drinking water supply, making such facilities particularly sensitive targets.
The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the attacks, with Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi accusing Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure and endangering millions of residents across the Gulf region.
Strait of Hormuz becomes the center of pressure campaign
The fighting has increasingly revolved around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a significant share of the world’s oil supplies normally passes. Before the conflict intensified, roughly one-fifth of global crude exports moved through the strait.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to target Iranian power stations, bridges, and coastal infrastructure if Tehran continues to restrict shipping traffic. Recent military operations suggest the United States is implementing that strategy, beginning with targets along Iran’s southern coastline.
Washington has also reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports in an effort to halt crude oil shipments. U.S. military officials said naval forces had redirected several vessels attempting to leave Iranian ports and disabled one ship that allegedly tried to evade the blockade.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned in a statement on Saturday that continued American attacks would bring what he called “unforgettable lessons” for the United States. Meanwhile, an Iranian negotiator announced that Tehran was suspending its commitments under last month’s interim agreement with Washington, arguing that the U.S. had violated the deal through its military actions.
The agreement had established a 60-day framework for negotiating a permanent end to the conflict and addressing disputes over Iran’s nuclear program. With the halfway point now passed and hostilities intensifying, prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough appear increasingly uncertain.
Casualty figures on both sides continue to rise. Since the start of the war, U.S. officials say 16 American service members have been killed and more than 430 wounded. Iranian authorities reported that the latest round of U.S. strikes killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500, though Tehran has not released an overall assessment of military losses.
As airstrikes, missile launches, and naval operations continue across multiple countries, regional governments are preparing for the possibility that the conflict could spread further beyond Iran and the United States, potentially drawing additional Middle Eastern states into the confrontation.