US-Iran hostilities spread across multiple fronts as regional tensions escalate

The military confrontation between the United States and Iran continues to intensify, with both sides launching retaliatory strikes and the conflict showing signs of expanding across multiple fronts in the Middle East.

According to a statement released by the US Central Command, US forces struck dozens of targets linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the early hours of Thursday local time. The targets included military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense positions, as well as sites associated with maritime combat capabilities.

On the same day, explosions were reported in several parts of southern Iran, including Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan provinces. In one incident, a US strike reportedly hit a residential area on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan Province, killing a family of three, according to local reports.

In response to the US attacks, the IRGC said it launched several ballistic missiles at a US military base in Jordan, claiming that the strike destroyed three US F-35 fighter jets and severely damaged three others. The IRGC also said that several military officers, technical personnel and maintenance staff at the base were killed in the attack.

The US military has denied Iran's claims. The US Central Command said no US aircraft had been destroyed or damaged by Iranian fire, adding that all missiles and drones were either intercepted or failed to reach their intended targets.

Also on Thursday, the IRGC launched another attack against a US military base in Kuwait, and carried out a drone attack on a US military base in Bahrain. 

Before the latest escalation, US vessels docked at a Mediterranean port in Egypt had come under attack. Saudi Arabia also publicly joined a US-led military operation against Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq for the first time since the onset of the conflict, while Iran launched missile strikes targeting US forces in Jordan.

Saudi Arabia's involvement has drawn particular global attention. Many are concerned that the move might lead to a widening confrontation in the Middle East.

Qin Tian, deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said Riyadh now faces potential threats from three fronts: Iraqi Shiite militia groups, Iran and Yemen's Houthi forces.

However, Qin noted that Saudi Arabia has avoided direct confrontation with Iran since the conflict began, while Iran has also refrained from directly attacking Saudi territory. This, he said, suggests that Riyadh is likely to maintain its pragmatic and cautious approach toward Iran, seeking to keep a relatively low profile and preserve room to avoid becoming fully involved in the conflict.

Li Zixin, a Middle East expert at the China Institute of International Studies, said even though Riyadh's participation in the joint operation with the US showed a degree of restraint, its decision to openly and actively participate in the operation could trigger broader regional consequences.

"Other Gulf countries may also feel compelled by security concerns to take sides in the confrontation, which could potentially expand Iran's retaliation targets from US military bases in the region to the territories of Gulf states themselves," Li said.

With Iran and the US resuming military operations against each other and the scope of the regional conflict continuing to expand, Li said the possibility of the two sides returning to the negotiating table in the short term remains low, meaning tensions in the Middle East are likely to remain elevated.