In a statement posted on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck dozens of IRGC-linked targets, including military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime assets.

“The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East,” CENTCOM said, adding that the operation was intended to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten US personnel, commercial shipping and neighbouring Gulf states.

Iranian media reported that American strikes hit areas near Qeshm Island in the southern province of Hormozgan and around the southwestern city of Abadan after a brief pause in hostilities.

Ahmad Nafisi, deputy governor of Hormozgan province, told the Mehr news agency that “a point near Qeshm was attacked by the American enemy military” at around 4am local time.

Separately, the Fars news agency, citing the deputy governor of Khuzestan province, reported that missile strikes targeted areas around Abadan, describing the United States as the “terrorist enemy of America.”

The latest strikes came a day after US President Donald Trump vowed a forceful military response following an attempted rocket attack on American bases in the region.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said five rockets had been fired at US positions, but all were intercepted.

He added that Washington believed a separate group, rather than Iran directly, was responsible for the attack and had since apologised.

Despite that, Trump warned that military action would continue.

“We’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran had asked Washington not to retaliate.

“We’re going to smack them a little bit,” he added.