IRIA News

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Iran launched missile and drone attacks against U.S. military positions across the Middle East on September 2, 2026, retaliating for a new wave of American strikes on Iranian targets and sharply escalating tensions after a month-long lull in fighting.

The Iranian attacks targeted U.S.-linked positions in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq, according to Iranian authorities and regional reports. Tehran said the strikes were carried out in response to U.S. attacks on Iranian territory, including military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and the Khatam Al Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that any country, territory, airspace or facility used to launch U.S. attacks against Iran could itself become a target.

“Iran respects the sovereignty of neighboring countries but will never tolerate aggression,” the joint statement said, warning that any further U.S. attack would trigger a “much heavier” response.

“The U.S. has no choice but to leave the region,” the statement added. Iranian military authorities also warned countries facilitating U.S. military operations that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian army would jointly strike the source of any attack with “overwhelming force.”

The latest escalation followed U.S. strikes on Iranian military positions, including targets on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the operation was aimed at preventing Iranian forces from using launchers to deploy naval mines in the strategic waterway.

Iran responded by expanding its attacks beyond its borders, putting U.S. military installations across the region on alert. In Jordan, Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles toward U.S.-linked positions.

Jordanian authorities said its air defenses intercepted most of the missiles, while others fell in remote areas. Iranian forces also claimed attacks against U.S. military facilities in Iraq and other regional locations.

The attacks have increased pressure on regional governments that host American troops and military infrastructure. Tehran has repeatedly warned that it considers facilities used to launch attacks against Iran part of the conflict, even when they are located in neighboring countries.

US Strikes Trigger Iranian Retaliation

The latest exchange marks the most significant confrontation between U.S. and Iranian forces since July. U.S. Central Command said American forces launched strikes after what Washington described as attempted Iranian attacks against U.S. personnel and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. said its operations targeted Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations, communications infrastructure and maritime assets.

Iran, however, accused Washington of continuing attacks despite previous warnings and said the United States was using regional territory and military facilities to conduct operations against Iranian targets.

Tehran also accused the United States of causing civilian casualties in southern Iran. Iranian authorities said a U.S. strike or missile debris hit a residential building where a wedding was taking place in Kuhestak, killing four people and injuring dozens.

The U.S. military denied intentionally targeting civilians, saying its operations were directed against military targets. Reports concerning the circumstances of the wedding strike remain disputed. Iranian authorities said additional IRGC and Basij personnel were killed in separate U.S. attacks.

The exchange has now moved the confrontation into a broader regional phase, with Iran targeting American military positions in countries that host U.S. forces and Washington threatening further military action.

Strait of Hormuz at Center of Conflict

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the confrontation. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, carrying a significant share of global oil and gas shipments.

Iran has used its position along the strait as a major source of leverage during the conflict, while the United States has sought to maintain access for commercial shipping.

The IRGC has accused ships of attempting to use routes through the strait without Iranian authorization, while Washington has accused Iranian forces of threatening commercial vessels and attempting to disrupt maritime traffic.

The renewed fighting has therefore created risks beyond the immediate U.S.-Iran confrontation, particularly for Gulf states hosting American forces and for international shipping passing through the waterway.

Iran’s latest military warning makes clear that Tehran intends to hold U.S. forces and the facilities supporting them responsible for attacks launched against Iranian territory. “Do not test” the resolve of Iran’s armed forces again, Iran’s military leadership warned.

The exchange has effectively ended the month-long lull in direct U.S.-Iran fighting and raised the possibility of further attacks against American forces across the Middle East.