Iran's IRGC attacks on US military assets in Bahrain, Kuwait in 'Operation Nasr 2'

According to a statement by the IRGC and carried by Iran's state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the operation involved simultaneous missile and drone strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.

The IRGC stated that its Navy and Aerospace Forces targeted several weapons and equipment storage sheds, as well as parts of US ships and aircraft, at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

It further stated that the operation struck the ramp used for the deployment of MQ-9 drones at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, noting that a number of drones were destroyed or damaged.

"The brave warriors of the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Forces in the third wave of Operation Nasr 2...destroyed several weapons and parts storage sheds for enemy ships and aircraft at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain during a simultaneous missile and drone operation a few hours ago," the statement read.

"They also attacked the ramp for the deployment of enemy MQ9 drones at the Ali Salem base in Kuwait, destroying or damaging a number of drones," it added.

According to the statement, the attacks were launched in response to what the IRGC described as US military strikes earlier in the day against several of Iran's coastal military positions.

"The retaliation and punishment of the aggressor will continue as long as America's crimes continue, and if these attacks are repeated, they will face surprising responses," the statement read.

The IRGC also warned that continued US military action in the region would affect energy exports, claiming that "as long as America's evils exist in the region, not a single drop of oil or gas will be exported from the region," while adding that such actions would only delay the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier in the day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) declared that American forces had wrapped up another series of coordinated strikes against Iranian military infrastructure at 10:15 PM Eastern Time on July 13.

According to the military command, the five-hour operation targeted key installations at Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas, all positioned along Iran's southern coast.

CENTCOM stated that precision-guided munitions were deployed to neutralise Iranian coastal defence systems, missile launch infrastructure, drone positions and naval capabilities.

The stated objective of the American mission was to systematically degrade Tehran's capacity to threaten commercial shipping lanes navigating the Strait of Hormuz, which stands as one of the world's most critical maritime trade corridors.

The US military noted that more than 50,000 American service members continue to be deployed across the Middle East, emphasising that forces maintain an elevated state of combat readiness.

The latest exchanges highlight a severe escalation in the conflict in West Asia, which has increasingly broadened from targeted US strikes inside Iran to reciprocal attacks directly involving American military installations situated across the Gulf. (ANI)