Iran Strikes US Base in Bahrain After Deadly American Airstrikes Kill 3 in Iran's Hormozgan

Tehran: The Iran-US conflict escalated sharply on Thursday after Iran launched drone strikes targeting American military assets in Bahrain, hours after US airstrikes reportedly killed three people and injured several others in Iran's Hormozgan province.

According to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the Iranian Army carried out the 11th phase of "Operation Lightning", targeting US military helicopters and P-8 reconnaissance aircraft stationed at the Sakhir base in Bahrain using Arash drones.

The Iranian Army said the attack was in retaliation for what it described as US strikes on civilian infrastructure in the Islamic Republic.

"In response to the enemy's hostile action targeting urban infrastructure and innocent people, the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army targeted the location of the US terrorist army's helicopters and P-8 reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir base in Bahrain with Arash drone attacks," the statement said.

Iran also warned that any further US military action would invite a stronger response, saying any "miscalculation" of Iran's military capabilities by the US would carry a "heavy cost."

The retaliation came after US forces launched a sixth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, with CENTCOM saying the operation was aimed at degrading Tehran's military capabilities and countering threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to IRIB, the latest US strikes hit multiple civilian locations across Hormozgan province, including bridges near Kohourestan and the Shor River in Bandar Khamir County, as well as the Bandar Abbas railway junction station.

One person was killed and eight others were injured in an airstrike on the Tappe Allah Akbar neighbourhood in Bandar Abbas, while two more people were killed and four injured after strikes hit key transport bridges in Khamir County, taking the death toll to three.

The Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences said seven of the injured suffered blast-related injuries while another sustained fractures.

The Bandar Abbas railway junction, located around 10 kilometres west of the city and serving freight and passenger routes linked to Shahid Rajaee Port, was also hit, leaving two people injured.

The latest escalation follows US President Donald Trump's warning earlier this week that Washington would begin targeting Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran returned to negotiations.

"We're going to hit them very hard... Next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate," Trump had told Fox News.

The latest exchange marks a significant widening of the conflict, with Iran directly targeting US military assets in the Gulf as hostilities between Washington and Tehran continue to intensify.

ALSO READ: 'Biggest Election Data Breach': Trump Alleges Massive Chinese Election Interference, Orders Probe Into 2020 ‘Cover-Up’