US and Iran Exchange Strikes, Seven Iranian Cities Reportedly Targeted

Iran has stated that at least seven cities across the country were targeted by United States military strikes on Sunday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The IRNA news agency, citing a local official, reported that US forces struck five cities in the southern Bushehr province: Asaluyeh, Dayyer, Bushehr, Dashti, and Tangestan. The province, located on the Persian Gulf coast, has been repeatedly targeted during the conflict, with previous strikes reportedly damaging civilian infrastructure, including areas near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Additional attacks were reported in the suburbs of Veysian city in the western Lorestan province, where a deputy official confirmed to state television that there were no casualties and conditions had returned to normal. IRNA also reported that a base in the city of Khondab in western Iran was hit by enemy projectiles, with authorities still assessing the damage and potential casualties.

In response, Iran claimed its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory strikes against multiple US military facilities across the Gulf region. State television reported that ballistic missiles targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, while a heavy and sudden attack was launched against logistical support facilities for US naval vessels and aircraft carrier refuelling platforms at the port of Duqm in Oman. In Kuwait, the Iranian military claimed to have deployed reconnaissance drones over US military assets, including Patriot air defence systems. In Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Iran stated it targeted American military communication systems and radar installations. The governments of Qatar and Kuwait reported successfully intercepting aerial attacks, while sirens were activated in Bahrain and residents were urged to seek shelter. Iran also claimed to have struck military infrastructure in Jordan, destroying facilities including drone hangars at the Prince Hassan Air Base. The escalation follows an incident in which the IRGC fired upon a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran claimed had violated designated shipping lanes.