The latest exchange of airstrikes by the United States and Iran represents some of the heaviest bombardment they have carried out since reaching a cease-fire agreement last month.
While officials in both countries have threatened further escalation, so far it is the United States that has landed most of the blows in the latest volley.
The U.S. military said it had hit about 170 targets in the past two days, while Iran’s strikes, which targeted U.S. military bases in several Middle Eastern countries, have been relatively few and largely intercepted by air defense systems.
Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesman for Iran’s Health Ministry, said on social media on Thursday that airstrikes across five provinces had killed 14 people and injured 78. There have been no reported deaths from the Iranian strikes, which were a response to the American attacks.
These differences in part reflect Iran’s limited firepower and degraded air defenses, and underscore how the conflict has taken a disproportionate toll on Iranians.
But physical destruction is just one measure of the war’s impact. Iran’s success in disrupting the global economy by throttling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has allowed Tehran, its capital, to push back against the world’s largest and most expensive military.
Here’s a breakdown of the attacks carried out by the United States and Iran in the latest hostilities:
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Strikes in Iran: U.S. Central Command said it hit 170 targets over the past two days, including military infrastructure in port cities, in an effort to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial ships in the strait. Online video verified by The New York Times showed damage to a railway bridge near the Iranian city of Agh Qala, and Iranian officials also said that U.S. forces had struck another railway line, which connects Tehran to the northeastern city of Mashhad.
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In Jordan: The Iranian military said on Thursday that its ballistic missiles had targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, a Jordanian military facility also used by U.S. forces. The Jordanian military said it had intercepted eight missiles in its airspace and that they had not caused material damage.
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In Kuwait: Iranian state media said Iran’s armed forces had targeted military bases in Kuwait. The Gulf nation, Kuwait, said it had intercepted three ballistic missiles, a cruise missile and 10 drones early Thursday morning and that falling debris had injured one person and caused material damage.
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In Bahrain: The country’s military said it had intercepted and destroyed several drones and missiles after Iran launched attacks on Thursday.
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In Qatar: Iran also said that it had attacked Qatar, a key mediator in Iran’s talks with the United States. The Qatari authorities did not confirm any strikes, but did issue a public security alert early Thursday morning that was later lifted.
Iranian missile and drone attacks on Gulf Arab countries have taken a significant toll throughout the war, despite causing relatively limited destruction, by denting the nations’ image as safe havens for business and tourism in a turbulent region. The war has had far-reaching implications, upending these countries’ sense of security, damaging their energy-dependent economies and, in some cases, pushing them to reconsider defense strategies.
