Cairo: The exchange of missile strikes between the United States and Iran resumed on Thursday, with both sides targeting each other's positions, weakening hopes for any immediate resolution to the conflict. Jordan said it intercepted and destroyed Iranian missiles in the air for the second consecutive day. Meanwhile, Kuwait reported that one person was killed during an attack in the northern part of the country.
Earlier this week, drone attacks on a port in Egypt set several ships on fire. In addition, Saudi Arabia said it had come under attack from Iran-backed fighters operating in Iraq.
The Kuwaiti military said on Thursday that an Iranian strike targeted a building belonging to a Chinese company, killing one employee. The military added that the building in northern Kuwait sustained severe damage. The attack came as Jordan's air defence system intercepted five missiles launched by Iran. Earlier, the US military announced that it had completed a series of "major air strikes" against Iran.
In a social media post, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that during an operation lasting more than two hours, US forces targeted more than 12 sites belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These included military command centres, missile sites and drone facilities. The strikes were carried out just hours after US President Donald Trump warned of a "very severe response" against Iran following an attack targeting a US military base in Jordan.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that three people were killed and two others injured in strikes on Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest missile exchange followed joint US-Saudi air strikes on Wednesday against Iran-backed fighters' positions in Iraq. At least 20 fighters and six Iranian military advisers were reportedly killed in those strikes. An official said that mediators were "still in contact with both sides" in an effort to reduce tensions and restore the ceasefire. However, the official did not indicate whether any progress had been made in the negotiations.