U.S. launches major strikes in southern Iran as Tehran retaliates with missiles and drones; Trump warns of bigger attack

The United States launched a large-scale air assault on southern Iran, and Tehran responded almost immediately with missiles and drones aimed at U.S. military bases in the Middle East. The strikes have sharply escalated the military confrontation between the two countries.

U.S. Central Command said it began attacking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets at noon Eastern time. It said the operation responded to recent attempts by the IRGC to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. service members in the region.

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If Iran retaliates against this very justified attack, it will be met with an attack much bigger and at a much higher level.

Iranian media reported strikes around the southern coastal areas of Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Konarak and Sirik, as well as Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Jiroft airport in southeastern Iran also came under attack. Trump said the U.S. operation retaliated for Iran’s attempted mining of the Strait of Hormuz and its launch of eight missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan.

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The biggest attack is still waiting, and when it is over, there will be almost nothing left of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Trump warned Iran against responding. “If Iran retaliates against this very justified attack, it will be met with an attack much bigger and at a much higher level,” he wrote on Truth Social, adding, “The biggest attack is still waiting, and when it is over, there will be almost nothing left of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” In an interview with Fox News, he said radar facilities were the main targets and claimed the United States had waited until Iran had nearly rebuilt them before striking. He also said the aircraft carrier George Washington was fully loaded with weapons and ready.

Iranian state-linked outlets Tasnim and Fars reported that Iranian forces launched missiles and drones at regional U.S. bases. IRGC spokesman Sardar Mohebi warned, “The United States will regret this attack.” In a later statement, he said Iran had begun a response intended to cause regret and claimed that a new air-defense system had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.

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The United States will regret this attack.

As the fighting intensified, Pezeshkian called for a return to negotiations. Speaking at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, he said Iran would immediately resume implementing a June memorandum of understanding if the United States restored its own obligations. He said the agreement’s provisions for an immediate ceasefire and 60 days of peace talks had effectively collapsed after hostilities resumed.

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If the United States resumes fulfilling its obligations under the memorandum of understanding signed last June, Iran will immediately return to implementing the agreement.