Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against targets linked to the United States across parts of the Middle East, following the resumption of American strikes against Iran.
Reports indicate that Iranian forces carried out attacks in Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq and Bahrain, escalating tensions across the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has also claimed that two oil tankers struck mines while attempting to pass through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attacks follow reports from the Iranian Red Crescent that four people, including a child, were killed during a wedding celebration in southern Iran.
According to the organisation, shrapnel from a US missile struck a house during the gathering. Iranian media initially reported that five people had died in the incident.
Iranian officials have condemned the US military campaign.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator during talks with the United States earlier this year, issued a strong statement in response to the strikes.
“If a power acts like Satan, picks targets like Satan, and kills like Satan, it’s Satan,” he said.
The US military has acknowledged reports of the Iranian attacks but said American forces do not target civilians.
US officials said the latest strikes against Iranian targets were carried out in response to what they described as “recent attempted attacks” on American forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments have heightened fears of a wider regional conflict, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining a major flashpoint because of its importance to global oil and gas supplies.
The situation remains fluid as both sides exchange attacks and accusations, with further military action expected to depend on developments in the coming hours.