Gulf states come under Iranian fire as US strikes intensify

Gulf states come under Iranian fire as US strikes intensify

Tehran launched missile and drone strikes against several Gulf nations and wider regional territories on Friday morning, responding to a sixth consecutive night of U.S. Military operations targeting Iranian infrastructure. The escalation follows the collapse of a fragile ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June.

The United States military campaign, ordered by President Donald Trump, has targeted dozens of sites across southern Iran. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes utilized fighter jets, drones, and warships to hit coastal surveillance systems, air defenses, military logistics hubs, and maritime capabilities near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.

The impact on the ground has been severe. Iranian state media reported that a U.S. Strike on two bridges in Hormozgan province killed seven people, while other reports cited three deaths. Additional strikes hit the Bandar Abbas Railway Junction Station and Iranshahr airport. The semi-official Fars news agency reported that a strike on a telecommunications tower in Bandar Abbas killed a woman and severely wounded her 1-year-old child, who reportedly lost a hand.

The Iranian health ministry stated that since June 22, 38 people have been killed and 400 wounded in U.S. Attacks. This toll includes three women and one child killed, and nine injured minors. Hossein Karmanpour, head of the ministry's information center, noted that 47 people remain hospitalized.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have launched "surprise" attacks against U.S. Facilities throughout the region. The IRGC reported targeting:

• A U.S. Army base in Bahrain and helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir airbase.
• A U.S. Military base in Kuwait, allegedly hitting a missile defense radar, weapons depots, and two HIMARS surface-to-surface missile launchers. Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy added that strikes hit power and water desalination stations.
• A U.S. Special operations command center at the al-Tanf base in Syria.
• U.S. Air control radar in the northern Ghanim region of Oman and a maritime surveillance radar on the Salamah Rocks in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Refueling aircraft and fighter jets in Jordan.

Regional defense systems were activated to intercept the onslaught. Jordan's army announced it shot down three Iranian missiles, and Kurdish counterterrorism forces in northern Iraq reported that U.S. Coalition forces downed eight explosive drones over Erbil. In Qatar, security alerts were issued to mobile phones and explosions were heard in Doha. The Qatari Ministry of Interior confirmed a child was injured by falling shrapnel during the interception of Iranian projectiles.

The conflict is centered heavily on the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC declared the waterway remains in the hands of the IRGC Navy's admirals and warned that it would never return to its pre-war status. Iran further threatened to engage Houthi allies in Yemen to target the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if strikes continue, stating that regional energy exports are either shared by all, or denied to all.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Has reinforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports. CENTCOM reported that Marines boarded the M/T Wen Yao to ensure compliance. Since the blockade resumed on Tuesday, the U.S. Has redirected three commercial vessels and disabled the Curacao-flagged M/T Belma. A tanker along the shipping route closest to Oman also came under attack, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The economic fallout has been immediate. Brent crude futures rose above $85 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures hovered near $80. Dimitris Maniatis, CEO of Marisks, stated that ship crews are now governed by fear, claiming nobody is willing to move through the strait.

President Trump claimed the U.S. Is winning big in Iran and told Fox News, Next week it gets really bad for them, threatening to target power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to negotiations. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed the strikes to Iran violating the mid-June agreement by firing on commercial vessels.

Diplomatic efforts to halt the violence are accelerating. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar called Friday for an immediate ceasefire. Wang described the previous agreement as hard-won and urged both sides not to fall at the last hurdle.