A new and dangerous escalation is taking place in the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, with Tehran alleging that U.S. forces struck a nuclear plant under construction in southwestern Iran, while Kuwait and Bahrain announced that they had repelled Iranian attacks involving missiles and drones.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that the nuclear power plant in Darkhovin, in Khuzestan Province, was struck by a U.S. attack involving a “series of missiles.” Tehran described the action as an “aggressive and barbaric act” that violates international law.

According to Iranian officials, the strike hit a facility that has been under construction since 2022. There is currently no independent information confirming the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties.

Kuwait and Bahrain announced they had intercepted Iranian attacks

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s armed forces announced that their air defense systems had intercepted missile and drone attacks from Iran. Warning sirens sounded in the capital, Kuwait City, while the military spoke of “Iranian aggression.”

Bahrain, home to the base of the U.S. 5th Fleet, issued a similar statement. Authorities reported that air defense systems “detected, intercepted, and destroyed” a number of Iranian aerial threats, while accusing Tehran of targeting civilians.

Residents in northern Bahrain reported hearing explosions, while air raid sirens also sounded in the capital, Manama.

Jordan: Authorities Deny Evacuation of Aqaba Airport or Port

Jordanian authorities have not issued any decision today to evacuate the airport or port in Aqaba and have not identified any potential threat in the past few hours, the state news agency reported, citing a government spokesperson.

Earlier, the U.S. Embassy in Amman reported that the port and international airport in Aqaba had been evacuated due to a “specific and credible threat,” without providing further details.

Iran claims it struck U.S. facilities

Earlier, the Iranian military had announced that it had launched large-scale drone attacks against U.S. facilities in Kuwait, in response to U.S. strikes on Iranian territory.

Tehran reported that the targets were an ammunition depot belonging to U.S. forces at the Udayri camp, as well as radar and air defense systems at Ali Al-Salem Air Base.

Kuwait and Bahrain, which host major U.S. military installations, have been at the center of Iranian retaliatory strikes in the Gulf region, following the resumption of hostilities, despite the existence of a ceasefire agreement and a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that two U.S. service members were killed on Friday, while another remains missing, during attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran.

A video released yesterday appears to show an Iranian missile striking the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, Jordan, where the two American soldiers were killed. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the two service members were killed on Friday while “they were defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.” It reported that another service member remains missing in action.

Source: ertnews.gr