Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Israel and US Bases

Iran's "True Promise 4" and Regional Military Retaliation

In response to the US-Israeli strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched "Operation True Promise 4," a massive wave of drones and ballistic missiles targeting Israel and American military bases across the Gulf. Resistance Media Triumphalism Channels aligned with Iran and the "Axis of Resistance" covered the retaliation with celebratory and religiously charged language. Networks claimed devastating strikes on US naval and air bases in Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain. Pro-Palestinian channels prominently featured footage of alleged direct missile impacts in Tel Aviv, framing the Iranian response as "legitimate defense" and an overwhelming display of military prowess. Concurrently, Iraqi armed factions like Kata'ib Hezbollah formally announced they would resume attacks on American installations. Mainstream and State-Aligned Restraint In contrast, mainstream Arab networks and official state media adopted a cautious, factual tone. Outlets like Al Jazeera and the Iraqi News Agency focused on the activation of warning sirens and the successful deployment of air defense interceptors. Reports covering the strikes on Kuwait International Airport, for example, emphasized that the attacks resulted in only "minor injuries" and "limited material damage," pushing back against the Resistance narrative of total destruction.