The conflict between the US and Iran has reached a new stage of escalation. Following a series of air strikes on Iranian military targets, Tehran launched attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
- The US has carried out strikes on around 90 military targets in Iran.
- Iran attacked US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
- Donald Trump has promised a tougher response to the latest attacks.
- Iran is threatening further attacks on US bases in the region.
- The escalation is jeopardising the safety of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict between the US and Iran: fresh strikes and threats
The conflict between the US and Iran continues to escalate rapidly. Following a new wave of US air strikes on Iranian military targets, Tehran has launched strikes on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran has also threatened further attacks in the Persian Gulf region.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), during the latest series of strikes US forces have struck around 90 military targets in Iran. The targets included air defence systems, coastal radars, missile and drone depots, naval infrastructure, logistics centres, and facilities along the coast of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Strikes were carried out on the areas of Bandar Abbas, Konareq, Chabahar and other strategic targets.
President of the United States Donald Trump, commenting on the operation, stated that Washington would respond to any attacks with far greater force. “We have struck them very hard. If they attack us, the response will be even more powerful,” Trump told journalists after the NATO summit. He later emphasised that the new US strikes were a response to Iran’s attacks on shipping.
Iran has carried out strikes on US bases
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced missile strikes on two US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran stated that, should the US launch further strikes, the attacks would be extended to other US military installations in the Gulf states.
Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said. shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will take place only “on Iran’s terms”. Iranian state media have reported that a “massive response” is being prepared against US forces in the Middle East.
The US strikes targeted strategic sites, including Iran’s largest port at Bandar Abbas, naval facilities, transport infrastructure, a railway bridge near Akkala, the maritime traffic control tower in Chabahar, and Iranshahr Airport, where one rescue worker was killed. Power supplies were temporarily disrupted in some towns.
Why it matters
A new wave of tit-for-tat attacks points to a further escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran. The situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important oil export routes — is a particular cause for concern. Further escalation could affect not only the region’s security, but also global energy markets and international shipping.
