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Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday sharply condemned the United States, describing Washington as “Satan” after a fresh exchange of strikes between the two countries that Iranian authorities said caused civilian casualties.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf cited reported attacks involving a school in Minab, a sports hall in Lamerd and a wedding in Kouhestak, arguing that a power that targets and kills civilians behaves like “Satan”. He further accused Washington of protecting what he called a “junior Satan”.
The remarks came as the US and Iran traded attacks across several locations, marking one of the most serious escalations since the two sides entered their latest period of confrontation.
Iranian state media reported that US strikes in the southwestern province of Khuzestan killed seven people and injured eight others. Provincial officials said three locations around Ahvaz and Aghajari were hit by missiles.
Iranian authorities also reported civilian casualties following an attack near Sirik on the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Red Crescent said five people were killed and around 50 wounded when a wedding ceremony was hit. Other Iranian reports gave a higher figure for those injured.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the reported incident and said Tehran would respond firmly. US officials had not publicly confirmed responsibility for the wedding incident at the time of the reports.
The Pentagon has also not issued a final public finding regarding the earlier Minab school strike, which Iranian authorities said killed a large number of people, mostly children. Reports citing sources familiar with the matter suggested outdated targeting information may have contributed to the incident, but the allegation remains subject to further investigation.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its forces launched missile and drone attacks against US-linked military positions in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
The IRGC claimed that US personnel were killed and several drones and military facilities were damaged during an attack on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. It also reported attacks on US-linked positions in Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq.
However, several of the Iranian military’s battlefield claims had not been independently verified.
The IRGC separately said its forces targeted US military facilities in Erbil in northern Iraq. According to Iranian statements, missile and drone attacks damaged maintenance and storage facilities and caused fires at fuel storage areas.
The Iranian military also said explosive drones were used against radar systems and US military positions at Al Dhafra and Al Minhad air bases in the UAE.
Bahrain and Jordan reported intercepting Iranian missiles or drones, while initial US assessments cited by international media disputed Iranian claims of American military casualties in some locations.
The escalation was accompanied by a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to Arab countries hosting US forces.
IRGC political deputy General Yadollah Javani urged countries including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan to remove American forces and military bases from their territories. He warned that Iran could retaliate against facilities used as launch points for attacks on Iranian territory.
The statement increases pressure on Gulf governments caught between their security partnerships with Washington and the expanding confrontation with Tehran.
Iran has repeatedly warned that countries allowing their territory or facilities to be used for attacks could face consequences.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the most sensitive points in the confrontation because of its importance to global energy shipments.
Iran has threatened vessels travelling through the waterway, while the United States has maintained a military presence aimed at protecting maritime traffic.
US officials said American forces continued guiding commercial vessels through the strait despite the renewed attacks. According to an American official cited in reports, dozens of ships carrying millions of barrels of oil passed through the waterway on Tuesday.
The continuing military activity has nevertheless raised fears that a prolonged conflict could disrupt energy supplies and send oil prices sharply higher.
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The US military’s Central Command said it had conducted a new wave of attacks against Iranian military capabilities.
According to US statements, the targets included air-defence systems, radar installations, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, communications facilities and other infrastructure associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
US officials also said two Iranian government tankers were struck as part of the wider military operation. Reports described the move as part of a new effort to deter Iranian attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington said the broader strikes were carried out in response to attacks or attempted attacks on commercial vessels and US military positions across the region.
The US military maintains that it does not deliberately target civilians and has rejected Iranian accusations that Washington intentionally attacks civilian sites.
The latest exchange has ended a period of relative restraint between Washington and Tehran and raised concerns about a wider regional conflict.
Iran has vowed to respond to what it describes as American aggression, while US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington maintains the upper hand and has demanded that Tehran back down.
The escalation has also placed neighbouring countries under increasing pressure as Iranian missiles and drones target or approach areas where American forces are stationed.
With competing claims about casualties and battlefield damage still emerging, the full impact of the latest strikes remains unclear. What is increasingly evident, however, is that the confrontation has entered another dangerous phase, with the Strait of Hormuz, US military bases and civilian areas all exposed to further escalation.
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