Iran has claimed to have launched attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted Iranian missiles and drone threats amid a sharp escalation in regional tensions.
The latest developments came after the United States announced a third round of strikes on Iran this week, accusing Tehran of attacking a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera.
Iranian state media reported explosions in the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Bandar-e Deyr, Jask and Asaluyeh.
The escalation follows the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announcing the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC also claimed it fired a warning shot at a vessel attempting to transit through what it described as an unauthorized route.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to avenge the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, allegedly by US and Israeli forces, declaring that “revenge is the will of our nation.”
The IRGC also claimed it carried out a “heavy and surprise” attack on logistics support centres and refuelling platforms used by US aircraft carriers at the Port of Duqm in Oman, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. The IRGC’s public relations office said the facilities were destroyed in the attack. The claims could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had completed a third round of strikes on Iranian military targets this week, describing the operation as an effort to hold Iranian forces accountable for the alleged attack on the Cyprus-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said approximately 140 military targets were struck, including missile and drone launch sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communications networks and coastal surveillance positions.
It added that more than 300 targets had been hit over three nights to degrade Iran’s capability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CENTCOM, US forces have assisted more than 800 commercial vessels carrying approximately 400 million barrels of oil to transit safely through the strait since early May.
The IRGC later claimed it had intercepted and stopped a second “offending vessel” in the Strait of Hormuz. It warned that continued US-Israeli “aggression” would trigger “even more devastating” responses.
In another statement, the IRGC said it had launched ballistic missiles at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, claiming to have destroyed a fighter aircraft maintenance and repair facility as well as a command-and-control centre. Qatar’s Ministry of Defence, however, said it successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Qatari territory.
Residents across Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates received emergency alerts urging them to remain indoors and avoid open areas due to potential Iranian attacks.
In Doha, explosions were heard overhead and smoke was seen in the sky, suggesting missile interceptions. Qatari authorities later issued a follow-up notification stating that the threat had passed and normal activities could resume.
‘
In Bahrain, air raid sirens were activated after the Ministry of Interior warned of potential threats.
The United Arab Emirates also reported incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, saying its air defence systems had intercepted the attacks while advising residents to exercise caution and avoid open areas.
Separately, Iran’s army said it had launched waves of explosive drone attacks against US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to IRIB.
The military claimed the strikes targeted a Patriot air defence system, an ammunition depot and a radar installation used by US forces in Kuwait. It said another wave of drones struck a US communications system and radar site in Bahrain.
Iran’s army said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for what it described as continued US strikes on southern Iran. The claims have not been independently verified.
Views: 1