U.S. launches heavy strikes on Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets

The new strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to hit Iran "very hard" after it targeted a base in Jordan that hosts U.S. troops

Published - July 30, 2026 10:24 am IST - Baghdad AP

The U.S. military said early Thursday (July 30, 2026) it had completed what it described as "a heavy wave of strikes against Iran" conducted in response to an earlier Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan.

U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that over the span of two hours, they struck "dozens" of targets belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, including:

• Military command centers
• Missile and drone facilities
• Coastal surveillance and defense sites

The new strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to hit Iran "very hard" after it targeted a base in Jordan that hosts U.S. troops.

Regional Impact and Casualties

Iranian state media reported that two people were injured in attacks on the island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz, and that explosions were also reported in Khuzestan province to the northwest.

Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at the Egyptian port of Damietta, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the strikes on a U.S.-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. No injuries were reported.

Broader Conflict Concerns

The flare-ups on multiple fronts after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans. The fighting was also likely to add to concerns that the U.S. is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.

Egypt, a close U.S. ally and regional mediator, is one of the only countries in West Asia to have been spared direct military action during the war. A strike by Iran or its allies, if confirmed, would mark a significant widening of the conflict.

U.S. and Regional Responses

Asked during an Oval Office event if Iran was responsible for the strikes on the natural gas vessels, Mr. Trump responded, "It's a little more of the same."

"In the meantime, we're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them," he added.

Saudi Arabia had accused Iraqi militias of firing drones against its oil facilities over the past two days. An umbrella group of Iraqi militias initially denied the allegations, while another Iran-backed group — the Houthi rebels in Yemen — said they had attacked Saudi energy facilities as part of a separate but related conflict.

Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman met separately on Wednesday (July 29, 2026) with Mr. Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorised to comment publicly. The White House and Vice President's office did not respond to requests for comment.