The United States struck 90 targets in Iran overnight, after hitting 80 targets the previous day, but Israel assesses that the confrontation, which also included Iranian retaliatory strikes in Gulf states, is unlikely to spill over into Israel, a security official told ynet Thursday morning.
Iran said 14 people were killed in American strikes over the past two days.
US strikes Iran bridges on route to Khamenei funeral
In a statement Thursday morning, the U.S. military said its latest strikes targeted air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline.
It was the most extensive American strike in Iran since the end of the war earlier this year. In addition, and for the first time since April, the United States also appeared to have struck bridges.
Iranian media reported that a railway bridge was bombed in Golestan Province in northeastern Iran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said two bridges were struck on the route to Mashhad, where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the opening day of Operation Roaring Lion, is expected to be buried Thursday.
According to an Iranian report, train service between Tehran and Mashhad was halted because of the strikes, and technical and operational teams were sent to repair the damaged section. Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Mashhad claimed that “despite the aggression, Iranians continue to arrive to take part in Khamenei’s funeral procession.”
Iran responded to the American bombardments by attacking U.S. bases in the Gulf. According to the Iranian military, drones targeted Patriot systems in Kuwait, fuel depots belonging to the U.S. military in Bahrain and early-warning sites in Qatar, which has been serving as a mediator in negotiations.
US strikes in Iran
“The forces will continue with full force to prevent the realization of the goals and ambitions of the president of the United States, and will defend the ideals of the Islamic Revolution until final victory,” the Iranian military threatened.
After the American strikes began, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the attacks were retaliation for Iran’s bombing of ships.
“If this happens again, the situation will get much worse,” Trump wrote.
Later, aboard Air Force One on his way back to the United States, Trump said: “The Iranians are sick people. I’m number one on their list.”
“We’re going to win this very quickly,” he added. “We already won militarily, and they desperately want to make a deal. They called me a short time ago, but I don’t know if they’re worthy of a deal. We hit them hard. We hit them 20 times harder than they hit us. This is retaliation for last night.”
Trump attached a photo to the post, but it was actually from an Israeli strike last year, during Operation Rising Lion.