Iran claims drone strikes targeted Al-Azraq base in Jordan during 'Operation Lightning'

Tehran [Iran], July 15 (ANI): Iran's army has claimed that it carried out drone strikes on the Al-Azraq military base in Jordan, targeting facilities including F-18 fighter jet locations, accommodation buildings and an equipment shed as part of the seventh phase of 'Operation Lightning', according to an official statement by Iran's state-run IRIB.
In a statement issued by the Army Public Relations Department, the Iranian army said, "In the seventh phase of Operation Lightning, and in continuation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's devastating drone attacks against US bases in the region, an hour ago, the location of the F-18 fighter jets, the accommodation building, and the large equipment shed of the US terrorist army at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan were targeted by destructive drone attacks."
The statement further warned that Iran would continue responding to strikes by the United States saying, "The nation's soldiers in the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely establish the great lesson and strategic message of the martyred revolutionary leader to the enemy that the 'era of hitting in the face' is over and any action against the soil, water, and sky of this historic country will not go unanswered and without a proportionate cost."
The Iranian Army also claimed that the latest operation was part of an ongoing military campaign against US bases in the region.
The Army said, "Since the beginning of the US violation of the ceasefire and the brutal attacks against areas of our country, the Islamic Republic of Iran's army has carried out 6 stages of drone operations against the bases and centers of the US terrorist army in the region, and these operations will continue until the final victory is achieved."
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) warned that the United States would start targeting Iranian power plants and bridges "next week" as part of its border strikes on the Islamic Republic, unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table.
He further cautioned that Iran would not "have anybody left" if it failed to reach a deal with Washington.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the United States would intensify its military campaign against Iran in the coming days unless negotiations resume.
"We're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We're going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them, because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate," Trump told Fox News.
Trump's remarks come as US military strikes on Iran have continued for a fourth consecutive day following the collapse of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran to end the hostilities in West Asia.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday (local time) said that it had targeted US military assets in Bahrain and Kuwait during the third wave of its "Operation Nasr 2", in retaliation for US strikes on the Islamic Republic earlier in the day.
According to a statement by the IRGC and carried by Iran's state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the operation involved simultaneous missile and drone strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The IRGC stated that its Navy and Aerospace Forces targeted several weapons and equipment storage sheds, as well as parts of US ships and aircraft, at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
It further stated that the operation struck the ramp used for the deployment of MQ-9 drones at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, noting that several drones were destroyed or damaged.
"The brave warriors of the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Forces in the third wave of Operation Nasr 2...destroyed several weapons and parts storage sheds for enemy ships and aircraft at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain during a simultaneous missile and drone operation a few hours ago," the statement read.
"They also attacked the ramp for the deployment of enemy MQ9 drones at the Ali Salem base in Kuwait, destroying or damaging a number of drones," it added.
According to the statement, the strikes were launched in response to what the IRGC described as US military strikes earlier in the day against several of Iran's coastal military positions.
Earlier in the day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) declared that American forces had wrapped up another series of coordinated strikes against Iranian military infrastructure at 10:15 PM Eastern Time on July 13.
According to the military command, the five-hour operation targeted key installations at Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas, all positioned along Iran's southern coast.
CENTCOM stated that precision-guided munitions were deployed to neutralise Iranian coastal defence systems, missile launch infrastructure, drone positions and naval capabilities. (ANI)