Key actors — tap for context
Donald Trump
President of the United States, who ordered the retaliatory strikes.
Why here: He called the shootdown of the Apache helicopter the reason for a "very strong" retaliation, but says a deal with Iran is still possible.
More info →
Iranian Revolutionary Guards
Elite branch of Iran's armed forces (IRGC).
Why here: Claimed responsibility for the retaliatory strikes on American bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait.
More info →
Strait of Hormuz
Maritime strait through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil and LNG flowed before the war.
Why here: Center of both the American strikes and the Iranian blockade; its closure drives up oil prices.
More info →Apache helicopter
American AH-64 attack helicopter.
Why here: Trump named its shootdown near Hormuz as the trigger for retaliation; both pilots survived.
Bahrain
Home of the US Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf.
Why here: One of the targets of Iran's retaliation; air defense sirens were activated.
More info →Shortly before midnight: US forces began retaliatory strikes against Iran. According to RTE and Le Monde, CENTCOM said that US Air Force and Navy fighter jets struck Iranian air defenses, ground control stations, and surveillance radars near the Strait of Hormuz. RTE ↗ Le Monde ↗
Around 04:00: US Central Command announced that the strikes were complete. RTE writes that the operation was presented as a response to the helicopter shootdown; Deutschlandfunk describes it as limited attacks, after which Tehran threatened a military response. RTE ↗ Deutschlandfunk ↗
After 04:20: The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced retaliatory attacks on American targets in Bahrain and Jordan. France24 reports that the Guards spoke of an attack on the base in Bahrain; according to the Guardian, Iran also reported attacks on targets in Kuwait. France24 ↗ The Guardian ↗
Jordan: According to France24, the Jordanian armed forces announced that they intercepted and shot down five missiles fired from Iran toward the al-Azraq area. Debris fell on Jordanian territory, but according to the military caused no injuries or material damage. France24 ↗
Bahrain: According to France24, the Ministry of Interior activated the air defense siren and urged residents to stay calm and move to the nearest safe location. The Revolutionary Guards claim they targeted the American Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. France24 ↗
Wednesday, morning update: A US official told news agencies that the strikes lasted about four hours and hit nearly 20 Iranian targets. According to Iranian media, the Americans struck Qeshm Island and the port city of Sirik, with explosions heard near Bandar Abbas and near Jask at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The Revolutionary Guards claim their retaliation hit 22 targets in the Persian Gulf – in addition to the al-Azraq base in Jordan, also the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. However, a US official says that according to initial assessments, nearly every missile and drone was intercepted, and no damage or injuries to American troops have been reported. RTE ↗
US Central Command described the fate of the downed helicopter's crew more cautiously than the president: according to it, both pilots were rescued only after two hours and are in stable condition. Trump told ABC News: "I believe the response should be very strong, very forceful – and that's exactly what it is." RTE ↗
The political paradox of the night remains open: Washington struck Iranian targets while simultaneously insisting that negotiations with Tehran are not yet dead. According to the Guardian, Vice President JD Vance says a deal is "very close"; Politico reports that after the strikes, Trump still maintained that a peace deal could remain on the table. The Guardian ↗ Politico Europe ↗
The impact on markets is secondary for now, but will matter once European trading opens. As late as Tuesday evening, Brent was falling toward $90 a barrel as investors reacted to news of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The overnight strikes near Hormuz could quickly reverse this trend. In early Asian trading, oil rose by about one percent following the escalation. RTE ↗ SME ↗
Read also: Oil above $97 and Hormuz under threat
