US launches strikes to ‘punish’ Iran after troops killed

ATTACKS ON JORDAN

Sirens also sounded in Jordan, and the Israeli military said its forces along with Jordan’s had intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards Jordan’s port city of Aqaba.

Iran did not immediately confirm launching the attack, but the US embassy in Amman had earlier warned its citizens of a “specific and credible threat” targeting Aqaba’s port and airport.

Kuwait’s electricity ministry said a power and water plant was attacked for a second consecutive day, causing a fire at the facility.

Bahrain’s military also said its air defences “confronted, intercepted, and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks”, accusing Iran of targeting civilians.

The renewed violence was initially sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Iran closed the strait after the war broke out, and control over the route has become leverage in negotiations with Washington, which reimposed on Tuesday its own blockade of Iran’s ports.

On Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said two ships attempting to transit the strait were stopped.

“Four violating ships, with the mischief and support of American terrorists … intended to disrupt and exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unsafe route, two of which had an accident and were stopped in place,” IRGC said, adding that the other two ships abandoned their journey.

Iran’s health ministry said on Friday that 50 people had been killed since the renewed fighting broke out and more than 500 hurt.