Iran strikes US bases in response to attacks

Iran said on Wednesday it had struck several military bases of the United States in the region in retaliation for the latest wave of U.S. attacks on Iran, further straining the ceasefire after Iran and Israel traded missile attacks in a recent major escalation.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday that it launched a drone attack on the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain in response to the U.S. attacks on southern Iran, adding that it downed a U.S. MQ-9 drone in Iran's Bushehr Province.

The IRGC said it also targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait with drones, as well as four sites at the U.S. al-Azraq base in Jordan using long-range missiles, Iranian media reported.

"In the event of continued hostility, heavier responses are on the way," the IRGC said in a statement.

The U.S. strikes began at 17:00 ET (2100 GMT) Tuesday, according to the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East.

The command said it struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the strait with munitions from the U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter jets.

A series of explosions was reported early Wednesday in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, as well as Qeshm Island and Sirik County, triggering the activation of air defenses, the state-run IRIB news agency said, citing sources.

Meanwhile, the IRGC said that U.S. forces attacked several locations in Jask, Sirik and Qeshm, damaging a telecommunications mast and destroying two water tanks in Sirik.

Hours later, the command said it had completed strikes against Iran, which was confirmed by the IRIB.

The latest wave of U.S. attacks came after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Tehran had shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, vowing "very strong, very powerful" response.

However, the IRIB news agency quoted a military source as saying that "no offensive aerial military operation was carried out" over the Strait of Hormuz within the past 24 hours.

Iran strikes US bases in response to attacks

Iran strikes US bases in response to attacks

Iran strikes US bases in response to attacks

China released on Friday an action plan for artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation and development, as part of broader efforts to strengthen international AI collaboration and bridge the digital divide.

The action plan was jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and other central government departments at the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

The document outlines actions in eight areas covering data, computing power, ecosystems, industrial empowerment, talent development, rules and standards, governance and AI ethics.

It calls for greater access to high-quality data, more inclusive intelligent computing services, and broader sharing of open-source AI ecosystems.

The action plan also seeks to promote deeper AI application across industries, joint cultivation of digital talent, coordinated development of rules and standards, stronger cooperation on AI security and governance, and the development and use of AI for the benefit of humanity.

Also released at the conference was a collection of case studies on China's international AI cooperation.

Published for the third consecutive year, the collection features 10 stories showcasing China's cooperation with partners around the world, highlighting the country's experience and approach in promoting global AI development.

The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance runs from Friday to next Monday, bringing together official representatives, business leaders, scholars and researchers from more than 100 countries and international organizations.

China issues action plan for AI cooperation, development