Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that Iran had inflicted “heavy damage” against US military assets in the region and warned that Tehran would continue to respond to “attacks” originating from US positions, while Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait reported intercepting aerial threats linked to Iran.
In a statement issued by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Araghchi said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had inflicted “heavy damage” on US bases and assets in the region. The statement said Iran “will not hesitate to target the source of attacks.”
Jordan’s armed forces announced that they intercepted and shot down five missiles from Iran on Wednesday. Earlier, Reuters reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted four sites at the US al-Azraq base using long-range missiles.
In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said multiple warning sirens were activated early Wednesday. In neighboring Kuwait, the army said it was responding to an aerial attack after the IRGC announced that it had targeted the Ali Al Salem base with drones.
Araghchi also addressed the confrontation in a post on X, saying Iran would not allow US military action to pass without a response.
“Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination. Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe. History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders,” he wrote.
Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination.
Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered.
Leave our region if you want to be safe.
History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders. pic.twitter.com/O17GGtklxA
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026
The posts came after the United States and Iran carried out strikes early Wednesday. The military action followed a CENTCOM announcement that US forces were responding to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter.
The United States struck nearly 20 targets in Iran and said it had intercepted nearly all missiles and drones launched in response. A US official said there were no known reports of injuries to US personnel or damage to US facilities.
US military aircraft targeted Iranian air defense infrastructure, radar installations, and command-and-control facilities in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz. Additional strikes were reported in the coastal areas of Jask and Sirik and on Qeshem Island, where a telecommunications tower and two water storage tanks were damaged, the New York Times reported.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026
In a post on X, US Central Command said its forces had completed “self-defense strikes” against Iran on June 9. CENTCOM said US Air Force and Navy fighter jets used precision munitions to strike Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz. The command described the operation as a “proportional response” and said US forces remain prepared to defend against further attacks.
