Trump's ‘knock out’ warning to Iran, US bases targeted in the Gulf as war escalates: Top points

The United States intensified its offensive against Iran, conducting a fourth consecutive round of strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. In response, Iran's paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have targeted several US military facilities across Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, according to state media reports. These developments have fueled fears of further disruption to global energy supplies, causing oil prices to climb. President Donald Trump has issued a warning of potential strikes on Iran's power plants and bridges in the coming week. US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that American fighter jets, drones, and naval vessels executed a seven-hour operation, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran's coast, including missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems. CENTCOM affirmed that US forces are vigilant and prepared for further operations. Meanwhile, Iran's IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until perceived American "evils" cease, accusing the US of fabricating pretexts to mask its "defeat and inability." The IRGC also claimed to have destroyed command centers, naval support facilities, and fuel tanks at the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, though this claim remains unverified. Additionally, Iran reported striking a US military logistics center in Kuwait and targeting areas housing US F-18 fighter jets at Jordan's Azraq airbase. Amidst the escalating conflict, an official from the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq threatened an "immediate and certain" response from the Iraqi resistance if a new war against Iran is launched.

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US forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execute operations directed by the Commander in Chief.