US and Iran exchange fire as Gulf states face renewed strikes
Washington launches retaliatory airstrikes following the first US military fatality in months, while Tehran targets Jordan and Bahrain, raising fears of regional escalation.
The United States and Iran engaged in a renewed exchange of missiles and airstrikes on Sunday, marking a significant deterioration in relations as Washington sought to punish Tehran for the first US military fatalities since hostilities in the Middle East resumed. The US military confirmed that a service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone, a development that triggered immediate retaliatory measures from American forces.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet, sounded air raid sirens overnight from Sunday into Monday following Iranian strikes. The island kingdom’s interior ministry issued a statement via X, urging citizens and residents to remain calm and proceed to the nearest safe place. Bahrain has accused Iran of targeting civilians in its recent attacks, joining Kuwait, which also hosts US military installations and has borne the brunt of Iranian assaults since fighting reignited this month.
In a move that risked widening the conflict, Iran fired missiles toward Jordan. The projectiles were intercepted by Jordanian air defences without causing casualties or damage, though the incident prompted Jordan to summon Iran’s chargé d’affaires to Amman to lodge a formal protest. Jordan hosts major US bases and relies on American air-defence systems, heightening concerns that the conflict could spill over into neighbouring Israel.
The escalation comes as an interim deal aimed at permanently ending the fighting has crumbled. Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled, and both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. The collapse of the ceasefire and memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran suggests a rapid return to all-out war, with Gulf states remaining in the crossfire despite diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
The United States announced the death of the service member on Sunday, underscoring the severity of the renewed hostilities. As both nations continue to trade strikes, the region faces increasing instability, with the initial diplomatic framework failing to hold and the potential for broader regional involvement growing with each passing day.
