The United States has attacked Iran again. Konarak naval base, on the Gulf of Oman, has been hit by a number of strikes, and explosions have been reported across the south of the country. A U.S. official admitted responsibility to Axios, and U.S. Central Command has now confirmed it publicly in a tweet.
American forces began striking what it calls Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets at 12 p.m. Eastern. The assault came from the air and from the sea, with fighter jets, drones and Tomahawk cruise missiles. There are unconfirmed reports that ground-to-ground missiles were also launched from bases in Bahrain, which, if confirmed, would mean a Gulf state may be one of Iran's first targets once retaliatory strikes begin.
Al Jazeera Arabic reports shelling near Iran by U.S. and South Korean forces on their official Telegram channel. We have not been able to verify South Korean involvement and are treating that report with caution. If verified, this would mark an extreme escalation to the ongoing war.
Washington is already bracing for an Iranian response. The U.S. State Department has told American citizens across the Middle East to exercise extreme caution and to be prepared for flight cancellations and airspace closures. The USA is attacking at a time when their missile interceptors are running "critically" low, which increases the risk for their citizens in the region.
The explosions trace the length of Iran’s southern coast. Blasts have been reported in Bandar Abbas and across Hormozgan Province, on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, and further east in Chabahar, in Sistan and Baluchestan, where the Ali Chabahar base is also reported to have been hit.
Five strikes have been reported on Masan, a village on Qeshm Island. The village had previously been attacked by the USA, when 14 people were killed in a July attack.
We will update this piece with further information as it becomes available. This is a developing story.
