Iran targets US defence facilities, announces closure of Strait of Hormuz
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Tehran: Iran’s military said on Thursday that it launched drone attacks targeting US defence facilities, including the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continued to escalate.
The Iranian army said communications and radar facilities linked to the Fifth Fleet’s Patriot air-defence system were among the targets of the drone strikes.
The US Central Command, meanwhile, said its forces carried out additional strikes against multiple Iranian targets earlier on Thursday, describing the action as a response to Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression”.
Amid the rising confrontation, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships.
Iranian authorities said the move was necessary due to security threats arising from ongoing military tensions in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.
Iranian military officials warned that vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway could be targeted.
The latest exchange of attacks came despite reports that Tehran and Washington had recently explored possible peace proposals through Pakistani mediation aimed at ending the conflict.
Iran also rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that he had held a phone conversation with Iranian officials, calling it a “cover” to avoid the war.
Meanwhile, Jordanian air defence systems and Royal Air Force fighter jets intercepted and destroyed 20 missiles fired from Iran early Thursday morning, according to a statement from the Jordan Armed Forces.
The missiles were intercepted over the Azraq region in eastern Zarqa Governorate, the statement said.
It added that the interception resulted in debris falling, but no casualties or material damage were reported. Specialised military engineering teams were deployed to deal with unexploded ordnance.
The Jordanian Armed Forces said they were closely monitoring regional developments and maintaining the highest levels of combat readiness.
The military said it remained committed to protecting Jordan’s airspace and national sovereignty, adding that it would not allow any violation of Jordanian airspace by any party.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also said on Thursday that it had targeted the US al-Azraq base in Jordan with ballistic missiles in response to US attacks on Iran.
With IANS inputs