The US has paused its two-week bombing campaign against Iran, leading Tehran to suspend its regional retaliatory attacks. President Donald Trump dismisses ammunition shortage reports.
The United States has temporarily halted its bombing campaign against Iran, prompting Tehran to suspend its retaliatory attacks in the region after nearly two weeks of intense exchanges. This pause in hostilities comes amid escalating tensions and significant military engagements across the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns about ammunition shortages, asserting that the country’s stockpiles are more than sufficient to meet its military needs. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported targeting US assets in Kuwait and Jordan, marking a complex and evolving situation.
US Military Operations Against Iran
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the conclusion of the latest round of strikes against Iran early on Thursday. The attacks targeted various Iranian military installations, including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets.
Specific locations struck included Shalamcheh, a city near the Iraqi border, where two people were killed and 11 injured, according to local reports.
In the southwestern province of Khuzestan, overnight strikes targeted at least three cities, including Ramshir, where an asphalt facility was hit. Explosions were also reported in Sirik, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz, and in Bushehr, near the city’s nuclear power plant, resulting in temporary power outages. Additional attacks were reported in Andimeshk and Jask, with significant damage to naval search and rescue vessels in Hormozgan.
Iran’s Retaliatory Strikes
The IRGC claimed responsibility for attacks on US assets in Kuwait, targeting a large warehouse of military equipment, a Patriot missile defense system, and a hangar of American MQ9 drones at Ali Al Salem airbase. The IRGC emphasized that these actions were directed at US forces occupying what it described as Kuwaiti territory, asserting that the US had violated Kuwait’s sovereignty.
Later on Thursday, the IRGC reported attacks on US assets in Jordan, destroying a radar of the American THAAD missile defense system, a Patriot system, and a C-RAM radar. The IRGC also set fire to fuel tanks and destroyed a helicopter equipment warehouse and maintenance shed. The IRGC maintained that its actions did not violate Jordanian sovereignty, arguing that the US military presence infringes on local authority.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea
The IRGC reported an explosion that set a tanker ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that two other vessels quickly turned back following the incident. The IRGC warned that the Strait of Hormuz is under its control and that it would remain closed to oil tankers as long as US actions in the region continue. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre confirmed a ship was targeted 70 nautical miles off the Saudi coast, causing a fire on board.
Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed a major operation against two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, framing the attack as part of a tit-for-tat campaign against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis described the attack as a response to what they termed a 12-year siege on the Yemeni people by Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has rejected Houthi claims of a siege, further complicating the regional dynamics.
