Iran in turn said it struck US assets in Jordan and Iraq, according to official statements, while Iranian media reports said it also attacked Bahrain.

Although the IRGC said it killed a large number of US forces in Jordan, two US officials told Reuters there had not been any casualties, according to initial assessments.

Jordan's armed forces said its air defense systems dealt with 13 ballistic missiles that entered the kingdom's airspace, 10 of which were intercepted and three fell in remote areas. Bahrain said Iranian drones were intercepted and destroyed.

The IRGC also said its ground forces carried out combined missile and drone attacks on US bases in Erbil in northern Iraq, killing several US personnel. Neither Iraq nor the US had confirmed the attack.

The exchange of fire marked the first serious combat since July, ending a period in which the warring parties withheld fire but also showed little interest in returning to negotiations.