Gulf region on edge after new exchange of fire between US and Iran

DUBAI: Regional tensions have intensified after the United States launched strikes on Iranian coastal military sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks targeting areas near Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), Iranian forces launched several ballistic missiles and attack drones toward Gulf states and key maritime routes.

The US military claimed that four drones were intercepted near the Strait of Hormuz, while air defence systems destroyed six of seven missiles fired toward Kuwait and Bahrain, and another failed to reach its target.

CENTCOM said no American personnel were injured and denied Iranian claims of damage to the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the attacks were carried out in response to what it described as US aggression.

They claimed that enemy military facilities in the region had been targeted. Iranian media also reported warning actions by Iranian naval forces near the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the security situation, authorities in Bahrain and Kuwait activated emergency measures, including air raid warnings and public safety advisories. Air defence systems were placed on high alert and some flight operations faced temporary disruptions.

The latest exchange of fire follows US strikes on Iranian radar and military facilities along the coast, which Washington said were conducted in response to threats against maritime traffic in the region.

Analysts warn that continued military escalation could further destabilise the Middle East and threaten global energy supplies, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for international oil shipments.

Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions remain ongoing, but officials on both sides have signalled that the situation remains highly volatile.