Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday in retaliation for fresh US airstrikes, escalating tensions in the Gulf and threatening to derail fragile negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The latest exchange came as Tehran warned it would impose a “complete halt” to peace negotiations if Washington continued military operations, while also insisting that it alone should oversee shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran warns against interference in Strait of Hormuz
The escalation follows efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight.
Quick answers to key questions
What recent actions did Iran take against Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US airstrikes?⌵
Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait shortly after US airstrikes, describing it as retaliation for recent military actions.
Why did Iran threaten to halt peace negotiations with the US?⌵
Iran warned of a ‘complete halt’ to peace negotiations due to continued US military operations, which it claims violate ceasefire agreements.
How did the US military respond to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping?⌵
The US military conducted airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure after Tehran allegedly attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
What is the significance of the Strait of Hormuz in the context of US-Iran tensions?⌵
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial energy chokepoint, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are transported, making it a focal point of the US-Iran conflict.
Should commercial vessels follow Iran’s navigation instructions in the Strait of Hormuz?⌵
Yes, Iran has warned that vessels must adhere to its navigation instructions and has threatened decisive responses to those that violate these routes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking during a visit to Baghdad, warned that alternative shipping arrangements would only worsen the crisis.
“Any interference in this matter, any attempt to establish new or separate arrangements from those currently being carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will only lead to further complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and increase the level of tension,” Araghchi said.
He added that recent incidents in the strategic waterway had already increased “tension and confrontation.”
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints and once carried around one-fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies.
US-Iran talks at risk
The renewed hostilities threaten ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran over an interim peace agreement.
The proposed deal includes discussions on shipping arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of US sanctions and blockades, and the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The two sides had agreed to finalize the details within 60 days under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month.
Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait
Shortly after the latest US strikes, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, both key US allies that host American military facilities.
Kuwait said its air defence systems intercepted two incoming ballistic missiles and multiple drones, with no casualties or damage reported.
In Bahrain, authorities said an Iranian strike damaged a residential building near the international airport.
The Bahraini Interior Ministry said there were no fatalities, although the top floor of an eight-storey building was destroyed.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, describing them as: “A dangerous escalation that reveals that what Tehran is doing is not a passing act, nor an isolated incident, but rather a deliberate approach and a systematic pattern of repeated aggression.”
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, although officials said the damaged building was not located near the naval base.
US says strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure
The US military said Sunday’s strikes targeted Iranian military assets after Tehran allegedly violated the ceasefire by attacking a commercial vessel.
According to US Central Command, American forces struck Iranian:
Surveillance infrastructure
Communication systems
Air defence sites
Drone storage facilities
Minelayer capabilities
The strikes followed an attack on the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Kiku, which was carrying crude oil for Qatar’s state-owned energy company.
Trump accuses Iran of violating ceasefire
US President Donald Trump defended the military action, accusing Iran of repeatedly breaching the ceasefire agreement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “We struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!”
He also warned Tehran against further escalation.
“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”
Lebanon remains another flashpoint
The conflict continues to spill into Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group remains unresolved despite recent diplomatic efforts.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that any broader ceasefire must include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Araghchi reiterated that position during his visit to Iraq, calling on the United States to pressure Israel to halt attacks and withdraw its forces.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah maintained that it would continue fighting until Israel leaves southern Lebanon.
Overnight, Hezbollah fighters killed an Israeli soldier in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli military, while Israeli strikes continued in parts of southern Lebanon on Sunday.
