US cruise missile attack on northern Iran causes no casualties, IRGC warns of crushing response

The US launched a cruise missile attack on targets in northern Iran in the early hours of Thursday, July 9, according to a statement by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Neynava Corps in Golestan Province. The attack targeted areas around the Aq Tekeh Khan Bridge in Aq Qala County. The IRGC stated that the hostile attack resulted in no casualties and urged residents to remain calm, avoiding attention to rumors circulating after the strike. The IRGC's Neynava Corps warned that Iran would deliver a "crushing response" to the attack.

In a separate act of aggression hours earlier, the US carried out a series of attacks on several areas in southern Iran, targeting civilian infrastructure and killing one person. In response, the IRGC launched a retaliatory missile and drone operation against major US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. The IRGC said its naval and aerospace forces struck key infrastructure at the Arifjan and Ali al-Salem bases in Kuwait, as well as the Juffair and Sheikh Isa bases in Bahrain. The IRGC warned that any further American aggression would trigger broader and more crushing responses against US bases across the region.

According to Mehr News Agency (MNA), the IRGC emphasized that Iran's defensive measures are in line with its right to self-defense under international law. The developments mark a significant escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, with both sides engaging in direct military actions. The IRGC's statement also called on the international community to condemn the US aggression and support Iran's sovereignty.