US launches another round of attacks on Iran

Lead

The United States has launched a “heavy wave of strikes against Iran” targeting dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites, according to a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on X. The strikes hit military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime capabilities, the statement said. The attacks came hours after US President Donald Trump promised to hit Iran “very hard” following Iranian missile attacks on a US base in Jordan.

Coverage comparison

Two outlets, Al Jazeera and Dawn, reported on the strikes, each focusing on different aspects. Al Jazeera’s coverage emphasized the military operation and its immediate effects, including the targeting of a residential building on Qeshm Island. Dawn’s reporting centered on the human impact of the strikes, quoting southern Iranian residents who described their lives as “ruined” and expressed frustration with both the US campaign and their own government.

Despite different angles, both outlets noted that the strikes were concentrated in Iran’s southern provinces, particularly areas along the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera reported that the latest strikes were similar to US attacks during a recent 13-day campaign. Dawn highlighted that most of the southern residents it spoke to attributed their worsening economic hardship to the US strikes, and that none said the conflict had generated support for renewed anti-government protests.

Key claims

• The United States Central Command said it launched a “heavy wave of strikes against Iran” early Thursday, claiming to have hit dozens of IRGC targets, including “military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime capabilities,” as reported by Al Jazeera.
• US President Donald Trump promised to hit Iran “very hard” after Iran targeted a base in Jordan where US troops are stationed, according to Al Jazeera.
• Iranian officials reported that a residential building on Qeshm Island was hit, with three people trapped under the rubble and two injured people taken to hospital, Al Jazeera reported. The island experienced power outages, and authorities were working to restore electricity and remove debris.
• Explosions were heard as far as the port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province, leading to initial reports that the port was hit, Al Jazeera reported.
• A deputy security minister in Khuzestan province told Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that US forces targeted “some locations in Abadan,” and Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported strikes on the outskirts of Kazerun in Fars province and two loud explosions on Kish island, according to Al Jazeera. Operations at Kish airport and passenger ferry services remained unaffected.
• The IRGC said that as long as Washington’s threats continue, Tehran’s resistance will also continue, Al Jazeera reported.
• Dawn reported that southern residents, including Amin, who runs a small boarding house for tourists, said “Trump has ruined our lives,” blaming the US strikes for worsening economic hardship. Another resident, Reza, a 62-year-old veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, said he was willing to take up arms again “not for this regime but for the soil beneath my feet.”
• Dawn reported that none of the southerners it spoke to, including those who had taken part in previous protests, said they supported renewed unrest for now. The region is home to several ethnic minorities, including Arabs, Balochis, and Sunni Muslims.

Perspectives

Al Jazeera — Focuses on the military operation, providing details on the scope of the strikes, official statements from CENTCOM and Iranian authorities, and the location of targets. Its reporting includes the impact on civilians, such as the residential building hit and power outages, but frames the story primarily around the military and political dimensions.

Dawn — Centers the human cost, quoting southern residents who describe the strikes as ruining their lives and worsening economic hardship. It also explores the political implications, noting that despite frustration with the government, the conflict has not spurred new anti-government protests. Its reporting highlights the region’s ethnic diversity and the residents’ complex feelings toward both Washington and Tehran.