Iran-US confrontation intensifies amid conflicting military claims and new sanctions
Iran and the United States exchanged fresh accusations on Thursday as military tensions across the Middle East escalated, with Tehran claiming successful attacks on US military facilities while Washington denied any significant damage and announced additional sanctions targeting Iranian networks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched ballistic missiles at Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, alleging that three US F-35 fighter jets were destroyed and three others heavily damaged. The IRGC also claimed that several officers and technical personnel were killed in the strike, describing the attack as retaliation for a reported US strike on residential homes on Iran’s Qeshm Island.
The claims came after Iranian media reported that a missile struck a house on Qeshm Island during a wave of US attacks in southern Iran, injuring two people.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the Iranian account, stating that no US aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the attempted attack. It said all incoming missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach their targets and did not report any US casualties.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted and destroyed five missiles launched from Iran toward the kingdom, marking the fourth consecutive day of similar incidents. Earlier in the week, Jordan reported intercepting several Iranian drones and missiles.
Iran reports drone strike on US base in Bahrain
Iran’s army also announced that it had targeted key US military facilities at Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base using one-way attack drones.
According to Tehran, the operation was carried out in retaliation for the killing of an Iranian Air Force Su-24 pilot at the beginning of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran earlier this year.
Iran claimed the drones struck power generators, navigation systems and administrative facilities at the base, adding that repeated attacks had caused significant damage to US military infrastructure despite multiple air defence systems.
Neither Bahrain nor the United States immediately commented on the claims.
US expands sanctions on Iranian military networks
Amid the military escalation, Washington imposed new sanctions on six individuals and entities in China, India, Russia and Iran accused of supporting the IRGC and Mahan Air.
The US State Department said the sanctions targeted networks that facilitate the transport of weapons, military personnel and equipment for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The US Treasury Department also sanctioned DadeNegar Startup Studio, describing it as an IRGC-affiliated front company allegedly involved in supporting military targeting by collecting information on American and Israeli assets in the Middle East.
US officials warned companies and individuals against conducting business with Mahan Air or other sanctioned Iranian entities.
Iraq rejects involvement in regional strikes
Iraq denied allegations that it had facilitated recent US-Saudi military strikes, insisting it neither authorised nor had prior knowledge of the operations.
Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said Baghdad remained committed to diplomacy and would not allow Iraqi territory to be used to launch attacks against neighbouring countries.
He said Iraq had requested evidence from Saudi Arabia regarding claims that attacks against the kingdom originated from Iraqi territory. According to Aboudi, Iraqi investigations had found no evidence supporting those allegations.
The Iraqi government also condemned the strikes as violations of its sovereignty and said attacks had targeted seven provinces, killing more than 18 members of the Popular Mobilization Forces and injuring 20 others.
Aboudi added that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia following the attacks and reaffirmed that Sept. 30 remained the deadline for ending the presence of the US-led coalition in Iraq.
US Senate rejects effort to limit military operations
In Washington, the US Senate narrowly rejected an attempt to advance legislation that would have restricted President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran without congressional approval.
Lawmakers voted 49-50 against a procedural motion to discharge the War Powers Resolution from committee, leaving the measure stalled.
The proposal, introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, sought to require congressional authorisation before US forces could remain engaged in hostilities against Iran.
Three Republican senators voted in favour of the motion, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman joined most Republicans in opposing it. Senator Mitch McConnell did not vote.
Maritime tensions continue
CENTCOM also dismissed Iranian claims that commercial shipping had breached the US naval blockade in the region.
The command said more than 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft continued enforcing maritime operations, adding that US forces had redirected 24 commercial vessels and boarded four others.
The US military also accused the IRGC of threatening civilian shipping, releasing what it described as a radio transmission in which an Iranian operative warned a commercial vessel to turn back or face destruction.
The latest developments underscore the growing military and diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States, with both sides continuing to issue conflicting accounts of operations as the regional confrontation deepens.
Source:AA
