Iran Claims It Destroyed Many US Jets, Caused "Serious Damage" To Many More

Iran has claimed that it has struck several US military aircraft stationed in Jordan with ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for overnight US strikes on multiple places in the Islamic republic that claimed the lives of at least eight people. This came hours after Jordan's military said it shot down three Iranian missiles, reporting no casualties or damage, as the war in the Middle East escalated.

In a statement, Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they have destroyed "several US refuelling aircraft and fighter jets" and caused "serious damage to many more."

They also called on Jordanians to target "the interests of the aggressive and anti-Islamic Americans" in their country.

Other Gulf Nations Also Targetted

The IRGC said they had also attacked a US special operations command center at al-Tanf in Syria in retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr, state media reported.

NDTV could not independently verify the claim, and there was no immediate comment from the Syrian government or the US military either.

The US military in February said it has completed a withdrawal from the al-Tanf base positioned at the tri-border confluence of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq.

Syria has sought to avoid being drawn into the regional conflict that has engulfed neighboring countries, including Lebanon, where Hezbollah has fought Israeli forces, and Iraq, where Iran-backed armed groups have launched drone and rocket attacks.

Explosions were also heard in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region as air defences targeted incoming fire. The attack apparently targeted the Iranian Kurdish dissident group Komala, killing at least nine people and wounding others, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

Iran did not immediately claim the attack but has targeted Komala in the past.

Tehran also launched new missile attacks against US-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, and damaged a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait -- something crucial in the small, desert nation.

War Escalates

The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has collapsed, and the region has endured days of back-and-forth attacks by the US and Iran as they battle for control of the strait.

The United States has also expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran by hitting more bridges and electrical equipment and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port, part of US President Donald Trump's threats to start striking infrastructure to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

In Iran, southern coastal cities and islands come under US fire, with explosions reported in Ahvaz, Qeshm, Bushehr, Dashti, Bostan, Sirik, and Bandar-e Lengeh, causing more extensive damage to infrastructure than in previous nights. In Bandar-e-Khamir, three bridges near the city were struck, while in Bandar Abbas, the Tapeh Allah Akbar neighbourhood was hit, alongside several other locations.

In Hormozgan province, road and railway infrastructure was targeted, killing at least seven people, Iranian state television reported. In Iranshahr, an airport was attacked, causing damage to the facility and leading to power outages. Air strikes were reported on Kish Island, resulting in temporary power outages in some areas, according to an Al Jazeera report.

Iranian officials say US strikes have killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds of others, with new casualties reported in Friday's strikes.