US forces carried out a large-scale wave of strikes against targets in IranThe US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Thursday said its forces carried out a large-scale wave of strikes against targets in Iran in response to what it described as attempted missile attacks on US forces a day earlier.According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities in a "surprise attack" that included military command centres, missile and drone sites, coastal surveillance and defence installations, and maritime capabilities. "CENTCOM assets struck dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets ‌in Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities," the US Central ⁠Command said in a statement.The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to respond "very hard" following Iran's reported missile attack on a military base in Jordan hosting US troops.Iranian state media reported that two people were injured in strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Explosions were also reported in Khuzestan province in the country's southwest.Elsewhere, drone strikes triggered fires on two natural gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta Port, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. The vessels included a US-owned floating storage facility and a Greek-owned tanker. The source of the attacks was not immediately known, and no injuries were reported.The fresh attacks on multiple fronts, following several days of relative calm, have heightened fears of a renewed escalation in the conflict. They also highlight the challenges of de-escalating the five-month-long war, which has disrupted global trade and rattled the world economy.Before the latest escalation, mediators had expressed optimism about bringing the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table. However, efforts to revive talks faltered in recent weeks as fighting resumed in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route that has once again been effectively closed due to Iranian attacks.