Key facts
- The US has completed a new wave of airstrikes against Iran.
- The strikes targeted air defense systems, radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats.
- These actions followed an Iranian attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran retaliated with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, and other Gulf states.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guard declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, while the US maintained it remains open.
The United States has concluded its latest round of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military installations including air defense systems, coastal radar sites, and small boats. The strikes, initiated by President Donald Trump, were a response to an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the objective was to degrade Iran's ability to attack international shipping.
Iranian state media reported widespread strikes across southern and western Iran, including Qeshm island and Bandar Abbas, near the vital strait. The conflict escalated as Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice, a move contested by CENTCOM, which asserted the strait remains open and navigable.
In retaliation for the US strikes, Iran also targeted neighboring Gulf states. Kuwait reported damage to border posts and an offshore drilling platform, while air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, urging residents to seek shelter. The renewed hostilities threaten to undermine a fragile interim agreement aimed at ending the broader conflict between Washington and Tehran.