Key facts
- Iran claims attacks on a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 other targets in the Gulf.
- U.S. forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites and shot down four drones near the Strait of Hormuz.
- A U.S. helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, with two soldiers rescued.
- President Trump accused Iran of shooting down the U.S. helicopter.
- The UN warns Iran's risk of covertly developing nuclear weapons has increased.
- Iran's nuclear material includes 440.9 kg of high-enriched uranium.
- Millions are being pushed into acute hunger due to the prolonged Middle East conflict.
- The Pentagon has elevated the counterintelligence threat level from Israel to its highest level.
- Iran is rapidly repairing missile tunnels and bases damaged by U.S. and Israeli bombing.
- U.S. forces intercepted six ballistic missiles fired at Bahrain and Kuwait.
The United States and Iran are engaged in a cycle of escalating retaliatory attacks, significantly raising regional tensions. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 other targets in the Gulf, stating these actions were in retaliation for U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. These claims follow reports of explosions in southern Iran, including Ahvaz, Jask, and Bandar Abbas, with Iran's IRGC alleging U.S. attacks damaged a telecommunications tower and water tanks in Sirik. The U.S. military reported striking Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites and shooting down at least four Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz that posed an imminent threat to maritime traffic. U.S. forces also intercepted six ballistic missiles fired at Bahrain and Kuwait, with a seventh not reaching its target. President Trump has warned Iran against further targeting of U.S. bases, stating such actions could lead to significant repercussions.
Amidst these exchanges, a U.S. Apache helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, with two soldiers rescued by an American sea drone; President Trump accused Iran of shooting down the aircraft. Iran's foreign minister stated that foreign forces operating near the Strait of Hormuz face a constant risk of being caught in crossfire and urged them to leave. Iran also claims to have targeted U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, though Kuwait reported engaging seven ballistic missiles. Iran's Tasnim news agency reported an American vessel was targeted in the Sea of Oman, a claim dismissed by the U.S. military, which also refuted Iran's assertions of launching warning shots at U.S. warships.
The broader regional implications are significant. The UN nuclear watchdog warns that Iran's risk of covertly developing nuclear weapons has increased since U.S.-Israeli strikes in June 2025, with inspectors unable to regularly verify Iran's nuclear material, which includes 440.9 kg of high-enriched uranium. The UN World Food Programme warns that millions are being pushed into acute hunger due to the prolonged Middle East conflict, impacting fragile economies in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, and forcing aid rationing due to funding cuts. The Pentagon has elevated the counterintelligence threat level posed by Israel to its highest level due to increasing concerns about Israeli spying on the U.S.
Ceasefire efforts are facing challenges. Despite three separate ceasefire agreements in the Middle East, deadly strikes continue. A conditional ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, contingent on Hezbollah ceasing hostilities, has seen oil prices decline, but Hezbollah rejected a U.S.-brokered pact for Lebanon, and ceasefire talks for Gaza have stalled. Little progress has been made between the U.S. and Iran toward an interim deal to end the war that began 100 days ago, with fresh attacks increasing pressure on a fragile ceasefire.
Iran is reportedly rapidly repairing missile tunnels and bases damaged by U.S. and Israeli bombing, with satellite images showing filled craters and repaved roads. Estimates of Iran's remaining missile arsenal vary significantly between President Trump and CIA assessments. The U.S. military continues to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, having fired on an India-crewed tanker suspected of involvement in Iran's oil trade.