The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced a halt to further operations following additional strikes on Iran on Thursday.
According to Iranian news agencies, explosions were reported at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, as well as in the cities of Karaj, Abyek and Qazvin.
Meanwhile, Iran says it has launched retaliatory attacks in response to the US strikes, claiming to have targeted 18 sites, including the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a US military base in Kuwait. Tehran has also announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed.
Oil prices rise after Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz
Asian markets reacted sharply on Thursday morning to the latest escalation between the United States and Iran.
Oil prices rose following Iran’s announcement that the key shipping route had been fully closed and reports of possible threats to commercial vessels.
The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, climbed by nearly 2% in early Asian trading, rising above $95 a barrel.
Kuwait closes its airspace following attacks
Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has announced the temporary closure of the country’s airspace as a precautionary measure in response to what it described as “Iranian aggression”.
In a statement posted on social media, the authority said flights would be diverted to alternative airports in accordance with approved procedures and international agreements.
Kuwait’s Government Communication Centre said the country’s air defence systems had successfully intercepted and destroyed what it described as “aerial targets”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim to have targeted US fighter aircraft in Jordan
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it used 12 ballistic missiles to target key US military assets at Al-Azraq Air Base and a command centre in Jordan.
According to the IRGC, the targets included advanced US fighter aircraft, including F-35, F-15 and F-16 jets.
The statement said the operation was aimed at US military facilities and operational infrastructure.
CENTCOM has not responded to the latest claims by the Revolutionary Guards. However, it has previously described reports of an attack on a US warship and the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz as “false”.
