The United States has carried out air strikes against Iranian missile depots and air defence systems, describing the action as "swift punishment" after an attack on an American airbase left two US service members dead and another missing. Iran has responded by claiming it has launched fresh strikes against American military bases in Kuwait, raising fears of a further escalation between Washington and Tehran.

The US had vowed to punish Iran with a barrage of strikes following the deadly assault on its airbase, and the latest attacks on Iranian military infrastructure appear to fulfil that pledge. Tehran's claim of retaliatory strikes on US bases in Kuwait has not been independently verified, and further details on casualties or damage on either side were not immediately available.