US missile strikes Abadan outskirts; Iran says 57 killed since June 27
Synopsis
US missiles struck the outskirts of Abadan — Iran's oil refinery heartland — for the second time in a week, even as Iran launched aerial attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain on the same day. Tehran says US strikes since 27 June have now killed 57 people and injured 517. The conflict is no longer bilateral: it is pulling Gulf neighbours into a widening regional crisis.
Key Takeaways
Abadan's outskirts in Khuzestan province were struck by a US missile on 19 July — the second such targeting of the city this week — with no casualties reported from the latest strike.
Jordan intercepted three Iranian missiles ; a fourth landed in a remote southern area without causing harm.
Missiles were reportedly aimed at US military aircraft in Aqaba .
The US military evacuated refuelling planes from Ramon Airport , southern Israel, approximately 18 km north of Eilat , following the Jordan attacks.
A Kuwaiti power and desalination plant was struck by Iran for the second consecutive day , sparking a fire and disrupting electricity supply.
Bahrain's air defences intercepted multiple Iranian aerial attacks on Sunday.
The Iranian Health Ministry says US strikes on southern Iran since 27 June have killed more than 57 people and injured 517 others .
The outskirts of Abadan in southwestern Iran's Khuzestan province were struck in a US missile attack on Sunday, 19 July, with no casualties reported from the latest strike, according to a provincial official cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The attack marks a renewed targeting of Abadan, home to Iran's oldest oil refinery and situated on the border with Iraq, which had already been hit in US strikes earlier in the week.
Wider Regional Escalation
Sunday's strikes were not limited to Iranian territory. Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain all reported fresh Iranian aerial attacks targeting their soil. Jordan's air defences intercepted three missiles launched from Iran toward Jordanian territory, while a fourth missile fell in a remote area of southern Jordan without causing casualties or material damage, according to state broadcaster the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, which posted the update on X.
Some media reports indicated the missiles were aimed at US military aircraft stationed in Aqaba, Jordan's southernmost coastal city, which shares a direct border with the Israeli city of Eilat.
US Military Movements and Airport Disruptions
In response to the missile attacks toward Jordan, Israel's Channel 13 News reported that the US military evacuated refuelling planes from Ramon Airport in southern Israel — located approximately 18 km north of Eilat — on Sunday. Israel's state-run Kan TV News separately reported that commercial passenger flights at the airport were delayed following the attacks.
Earlier on Sunday, the US Embassy in Amman issued a security alert stating that Aqaba's airport and seaport had been evacuated due to a 'specific and credible threat,' urging American nationals to avoid both sites until further notice. The embassy also renewed its standing warning for Americans to stay away from military bases in Jordan. However, Jordanian authorities subsequently denied the embassy's claims, asserting that both facilities were operating normally.
Kuwait and Bahrain Under Attack
Kuwaiti authorities confirmed that a power generation and water desalination plant inside the country came under Iranian attack for the second time in two days on Sunday, sparking a fire and disrupting electricity generation. Bahraini authorities also said their air defences intercepted multiple Iranian aerial attacks targeting the country, though no casualty figures were immediately disclosed.
Iran's Casualty Toll Since June 27
The Iranian Health Ministry stated on X on Sunday that US strikes targeting Iran's southern provinces since 27 June have killed more than 57 people and injured 517 others. The Abadan area, given its strategic oil infrastructure, has been among the most frequently targeted zones in the ongoing exchange. With strikes now drawing in multiple Gulf states, the conflict's regional footprint is expanding rapidly, raising fears of broader destabilisation across the Middle East.
Point of View
And repeated strikes signal a deliberate effort to degrade energy infrastructure rather than simply deter. What is underreported is the Gulf dimension: Kuwait's desalination plant being hit twice in two days is an attack on civilian water security, not a military target in any conventional sense. The contradiction between the US Embassy's evacuation alert for Aqaba and Jordan's flat denial of any disruption points to a dangerous information vacuum in a theatre where misreads can escalate fast. With 57 confirmed Iranian deaths since 27 June, the humanitarian toll is climbing — and the absence of any visible diplomatic off-ramp makes this the most volatile stretch of the conflict yet.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the US missile strike on Abadan on 19 July?
The outskirts of Abadan in Iran's Khuzestan province were struck by a US missile on Sunday, 19 July, with no casualties reported from this specific strike, according to a provincial official cited by the Tasnim news agency. Abadan had already been targeted in US strikes earlier in the week.
How many people has Iran said were killed in US strikes since June 27?
Iran's Health Ministry stated on 19 July that US strikes targeting its southern provinces since 27 June have killed more than 57 people and injured 517 others. The figures were posted by the ministry on X.
What happened when Iran launched missiles toward Jordan?
Jordan's air defences intercepted three Iranian missiles on Sunday, while a fourth fell in a remote area of southern Jordan without causing casualties or material damage. Some reports indicated the missiles were aimed at US military aircraft stationed in Aqaba, which borders Israel's Eilat.
Why were US refuelling planes evacuated from Ramon Airport in Israel?
Following the Iranian missile attacks toward Jordan, the US military evacuated refuelling planes from Ramon Airport in southern Israel — located about 18 km north of Eilat — as a precautionary measure, according to Israel's Channel 13 News.
Which other Gulf countries were affected by Iranian attacks on 19 July?
Kuwait reported that a power generation and water desalination plant was attacked by Iran for the second time in two days, causing a fire and disrupting electricity. Bahrain said its air defences intercepted multiple Iranian aerial attacks on the same day.
