US and Iran exchange strikes as Strait of Hormuz shipping stalls
American airstrikes target Iranian military sites while Iranian forces launch drone and missile attacks against US installations in the Gulf, prompting warnings of unsafe transit conditions.
Military hostilities between the United States and Iran have escalated significantly, with Washington conducting airstrikes on Iranian military sites and Tehran launching drone and missile attacks against American installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. The US military confirmed it had ended a round of strikes on Iran following the killing of American service members, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the destruction of US radar and aircraft in Kuwait and damage to US assets in Jordan.
Explosions were reported in Bahrain and Kuwait as air defences intercepted incoming threats. Kuwaiti air defences were actively engaging hostile drone attacks, with the army stating that any explosions heard were the result of interception efforts. In Bahrain, air raid sirens sounded in the capital, Manama, prompting the interior ministry to urge residents to remain calm and seek safe places. The US embassy in Manama issued a warning that Iran may target unspecified locations in central Manama.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards alleged they had completely destroyed a US early-warning radar system in Kuwait and set several drones on fire at Ali Al Salem Air Base. In Jordan, Iranian forces claimed to have caused severe damage to American heavy transport and command and control aircraft at Aqaba Airport via ballistic missiles. The US military’s Central Command stated its strikes targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense sites, and communications networks in northwestern Iran, where state media reported at least one death and several injuries southwest of Tabriz.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has significantly decreased, with only four vessels crossing on Sunday, down from eight the previous day. Iran warned that the waterway would remain unsafe as long as US aggression continued, alleging that two oil tankers exploded after attempting to use a southern route encouraged by the US military. A ship also caught fire early Monday near the Omani coastline, with the British military stating the cause was unclear.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran was using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage and called for international pressure to protect global shipping. US President Donald Trump said the strikes were in honour of US service members killed in recent days, citing approximately three fatalities. The US military confirmed a service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.
