{"id":2388,"date":"2026-07-24T21:23:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/07\/24\/us-pummels-iran-as-tehran-targets-regional-bases-stationing-us-forces\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:23:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:23:50","slug":"us-pummels-iran-as-tehran-targets-regional-bases-stationing-us-forces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=2388","title":{"rendered":"US pummels Iran as Tehran targets regional bases stationing US forces"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">US pummels Iran as Tehran targets regional bases stationing US forces<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        Iran on Friday said it carried out attacks targeting US military assets and bases with US forces in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait in retaliation for Washington&#8217;s latest strikes across the country. The US meanwhile bombarded sites across Iran as the conflict escalated, leading US embassies to alert its nationals across the region.\u00a0                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-07-24T20:48:17+00:00\">24\/07\/2026 &#8211; 22:48<\/time><\/span><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Modified: <time datetime=\"2026-07-24T21:04:29+00:00\">24\/07\/2026 &#8211; 23:04<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    5 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/france-24\/\" title=\"FRANCE 24\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                FRANCE 24<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                Video by:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/charlotte-lam\/\" title=\"Charlotte Lam\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Charlotte Lam<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                    <span class=\"m-from-author__separator\">\/<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/morgan-ayre\/\" title=\"Morgan AYRE\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Morgan AYRE<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-video-player o-video-player--16x9 t-content__main-media \" data-media-video-345a0766-27ad-4fac-8194-398ef450b9c6 data-show-hidden-video-player=\"345A0766-27AD-4FAC-8194-398EF450B9C6\" data-wrapper-video-player data-autoplay-video-link data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices                <\/p>\n<p><\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/71fb0704-8794-11f1-aff9-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26205308049430.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/71fb0704-8794-11f1-aff9-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:16x9\/AP26205308049430.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/71fb0704-8794-11f1-aff9-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/p:16x9\/AP26205308049430.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/71fb0704-8794-11f1-aff9-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26205308049430.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Black smoke rises following explosions near a military base hosting U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, July 24, 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n    Cover image:            Smoke rises following explosions near a military base hosting US forces in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, July 24, 2026.        \u00a9 Stella Martany, AP    <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"US pummels Iran as Tehran targets regional bases stationing US forces: Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">01:46<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"345A0766-27AD-4FAC-8194-398EF450B9C6\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a> targeted American strongholds around the Persian Gulf on Friday, while the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/usa\/\" target=\"_self\">US<\/a> bombarded Iranian military sites as the rivals showed no sign of backing away from their conflict after a 13th straight night of strikes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260724-middle-east-live-us-launches-new-strikes-on-iran-as-oil-prices-skyrocket\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Middle East live: Trump says US and Iran are talking, but Tehran not yet ready for a deal<\/a><\/p>\n<p>With fighting flaring again and diplomacy appearing to sputter, both sides made moves suggesting an escalation was possible. US embassies in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Middle East<\/a> began alerting Americans in the region that options to leave could become more limited, while Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard advised residents of neighbouring countries to stay away from bases with US troops.<\/p>\n<p>Vowing that Iran \u201cwill not bow to US\u201d bullying, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted ongoing discussions with two global powers often at odds with Americans\u00a0\u2013\u00a0China and Russia\u00a0\u2013 and warned in an interview with the semi-official news outlet Tasnim that the Islamic Republic is \u201cneither intimidated by threats nor will we yield to pressure\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>At the center of the fight is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, a crucial passage for world energy supplies that has been effectively shut down by Iranian attacks, sending fuel prices soaring and causing widespread economic turmoil.<\/p>\n<p>In the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, which is home to a contingent of American military advisers, security officials said Friday that US-led forces had shot down five explosive-laden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/drones\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">drones<\/a>. Repeated blasts echoed in Erbil, the capital of Iraq\u2019s semiautonomous Kurdish region, and plumes of black smoke were seen near its airport, where US forces are based. US military officials did not respond to a request for comment on the apparent attacks.<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;One-way tickets to hell&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Iran&#8217;s military said on Friday that it carried out attacks targeting US military assets in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/bahrain\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Bahrain<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/jordan\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Jordan<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/kuwait\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Kuwait<\/a> in retaliation for Washington&#8217;s latest strikes on the Islamic republic.<\/p>\n<p>Iran&#8217;s Revolutionary Guards, meanwhile, said they had targeted a data centre in Bahrain belonging to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/amazon-inc\/\" target=\"_self\">Amazon<\/a>, according to state media, though neither the US tech giant nor Bahrain have commented on the claim.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This morning, the fuel tanks, large equipment warehouses and silos, and the barracks of the US terrorist army forces at the Isa Air Base in Bahrain were targeted by Arash kamikaze drones,&#8221; the Iranian army said in a statement carried by state TV.<\/p>\n<p>An AFP journalist in Bahrain reported an explosion and warning sirens Friday, though it was not immediately clear if the two events were linked.<\/p>\n<p>Bahrain later said it intercepted and destroyed &#8220;a number of Iranian aerial aggressions&#8221;, accusing Tehran of targeting civilians.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-video\">\n<div class=\"o-video-player o-video-player--16x9\" data-media-video-wbmz570906-f24-en-20260724 data-show-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ570906-F24-EN-20260724\" data-wrapper-video-player data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices                <\/p>\n<p><\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/09ae0e1e-8756-11f1-8b9d-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260724-131918-132224-CS.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/09ae0e1e-8756-11f1-8b9d-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/p:16x9\/EN-20260724-131918-132224-CS.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/09ae0e1e-8756-11f1-8b9d-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/p:16x9\/EN-20260724-131918-132224-CS.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/09ae0e1e-8756-11f1-8b9d-005056bf30b7\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260724-131918-132224-CS.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n    Cover image:                    \u00a9 France 24    <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">03:05<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ570906-F24-EN-20260724\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Iranian army also claimed drone attacks against Jordan, targeting &#8220;aircraft hangars, aviation maintenance hangars and a barracks&#8221; at Al-Azraq base.<\/p>\n<p>Jordan&#8217;s military said it intercepted seven missiles and six drones launched by Iran on Friday, adding the operation &#8220;resulted in no casualties or material damage&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>In a separate statement, the Iranian army said it had also launched drones at US equipment warehouses at Camp Udairi and the site of American military personnel at Camp Doha and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.<\/p>\n<p>Iran&#8217;s Guards, the ideological arm of the military, said they had targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, claiming to have destroyed an ammunition depot and inflicted casualties among US personnel.<\/p>\n<p>They also claimed attacks on equipment storage silos at Camp Udairi in Kuwait, as well as a US Fifth Fleet watchtower in Bahrain.<\/p>\n<p>Tehran argues that any facility or base in the Middle East that the US military uses for strikes on Iran is considered a legitimate target for retaliation.<\/p>\n<p>The head of its Khatam al-Anbiya central military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened US military personnel in the region on Friday, saying Iran had &#8220;prepared free, one-way tickets to hell for you&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For every proud citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran who is martyred, one American service member will be sent to hell,&#8221; he was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster.<\/p>\n<h2>US strikes across Iran<\/h2>\n<p>As a barrage of assaults was aimed at bases of the United States and its allies, the US hit a Revolutionary Guard naval base in northern Iran, according to the semiofficial news outlets Fars and ISNA.<\/p>\n<p>Blasts from US bombardment were also reported on Iran\u2019s Qeshm Island, a base for naval assets including drone boats that Iran can use to attack vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in Isfahan province, home to a major Iranian air base and one of Iran\u2019s nuclear sites.<\/p>\n<p>Additional strikes reportedly hit Iran\u2019s southwest Khuzestan province and southern Fars province.<\/p>\n<p>US Central Command said the latest barrage was designed to \u201cfurther degrade Iran\u2019s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters\u201d as the Americans push to regain control over the strait, through which one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil and gas transited in peacetime.<\/p>\n<h2>Houthis say they don&#8217;t seek to close key Bab al-Mandeb<\/h2>\n<p>Iran\u2019s ability to effectively close the strait\u00a0\u2013 and cause economic chaos far beyond the Middle East\u00a0\u2013 gives it tremendous leverage in negotiations.<\/p>\n<p>Its Houthi allies increased that leverage when they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/red-sea\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Red Sea<\/a> on Thursday\u00a0\u2013 increasing the risks of shipping through another vital route for Middle Eastern oil.<\/p>\n<p>The attacks made good on the Houthis\u2019 threat to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping. The strait at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula connects the Red Sea to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/gulf-of-aden\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Gulf of Aden<\/a>, and around 12 percent of the world\u2019s trade, including one-fourth of global container traffic, passes through there.<\/p>\n<p>The Yemeni rebels on Friday\u00a0said they were not seeking to close the key Bab al-Mandeb Strait and maintained that the movement\u2019s naval operations in the Red Sea were solely aimed at longtime foe Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There is no closure of Bab al-Mandab as some are suggesting,&#8221; said Mohammed Abdusalam, a top Houthi negotiator, adding that the rebel position was &#8220;limited to a maritime blockade that only affects the Saudi side&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Attacks on Saudi tankers by the Iran-backed rebels have sparked fears of the opening of a second front in the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n<p>There have been no public signs of progress in any negotiation efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/pakistan\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Pakistan<\/a>, which has played a significant role in previous negotiations, met his counterpart, Araghchi on Friday. But before the meeting, Araghchi appeared to brush off any attempts at mediation, saying he did not think the conflict needed more mediators, instead insisting the US must change its position.<\/p>\n<p><em>(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/us-military\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"US military\">    US military<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/kuwait\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Kuwait\">    Kuwait<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/jordan\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Jordan\">    Jordan<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/bahrain\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Bahrain\">    Bahrain<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/usa\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"USA\">    USA<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising US pummels Iran as Tehran targets regional bases stationing US forces Middle East Iran&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}