The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday that it had carried out a new wave of military strikes against Iran, marking the eighth consecutive night of U.S. operations, following warnings from Iran’s Supreme Leader that Washington would “pay the price” for escalating the conflict.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the strikes were conducted under the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump and targeted Iranian coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, naval capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites as part of efforts to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities.
The command also said U.S. forces struck units affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it said had launched attacks against American service members stationed in the region.
On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to teach the United States “an unforgettable lesson” after Iran launched attacks on several U.S. military sites in the region in retaliation for repeated American strikes on Iranian territory.
In a statement carried by state television and social media platforms, Khamenei said, “As the American enemy seeks to ignite war, it must realize that the proud Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance have unforgettable lessons in store.”
He also accused Washington of repeatedly violating the memorandum of understanding signed remotely on June 17 by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the agreement had once again demonstrated that “the U.S. president’s signature has no credibility.”
The memorandum was intended to end the conflict that began with a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, reinforce the ceasefire declared in April, and pave the way for negotiations on a final agreement within 60 days.
Military Operations Continue
CENTCOM said the latest strikes began at 10:00 p.m. GMT and were aimed at reducing Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while delivering what it described as an immediate response to IRGC attacks against U.S. personnel the previous night.
Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim reported that U.S. airstrikes took place near the southern Iranian city of Sirik.
On Saturday, the U.S. military announced that two American soldiers were killed during a military operation in Jordan on Friday, while another soldier remains missing.
Escalating Regional Tensions
Iranian state television reported that Iranian armed forces targeted a munitions depot at Al Adair Base in Kuwait, facilities and ammunition depots at Ali Al Salem Air Base, communications infrastructure, and a U.S. air base in Bahrain.
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said repeated Iranian attacks struck a site in the country’s oil sector, causing injuries and significant material damage.
Kuwaiti authorities said firefighters were battling blazes at two separate locations following the attacks.
Officials also confirmed that a second electricity generation and water desalination plant had been struck within two days, resulting in a fire and precautionary shutdowns at several power generation facilities.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the repeated attacks on critical infrastructure, describing them as a systematic campaign targeting civilian facilities and placing civilian lives at risk.
Meanwhile, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi described Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan as war crimes, calling for international accountability.
Strait of Hormuz and Maritime Security
Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced that two oil tankers had exploded after allegedly striking mines while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the incident resulted from deception by U.S. intelligence agencies. The U.S. military denied the allegation.
The IRGC also said it used missiles and drones to stop four vessels attempting to transit the Strait after Iran reimposed a closure of the strategic waterway following renewed hostilities with the United States.
Washington maintains that its military campaign is intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
Casualties and Damage Inside Iran
Iran accused the United States of targeting civilian infrastructure, including an airport, bridges, a port, and a railway station.
The official IRNA news agency reported that three people were killed and eight injured in Hormozgan Province, while local authorities said 116 telecommunications towers had been knocked out of service, disrupting landline, mobile phone, and internet communications in several areas.
In Khuzestan Province, local officials said the United States had carried out strikes on 95 locations across 12 cities over the past ten days.
Iran’s Ministry of Health announced on Friday that renewed fighting had left 50 people dead and more than 500 injured over the previous week.
President Trump had earlier warned that the United States could target bridges and power stations if no agreement was reached with Tehran.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to its lowest level in three weeks on Thursday, according to vessel-tracking firms Kpler and MarineTraffic.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran is currently focused on responding to U.S. attacks, adding that because Washington had suspended all of its obligations under the memorandum of understanding, Iran no longer considers itself bound by the agreement.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan on Friday called for negotiations to resume under the framework of the memorandum of understanding brokered by Islamabad with significant support from Doha.
