Iran strikes 85 US sites in Kuwait, Bahrain after US hits 80

Iran's retaliatory strikes on US bases in two Gulf states and the killing of an IRGC member mark the most serious breach of the US-Iran ceasefire since it was signed.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck 85 US military facilities across Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday, retaliating against American strikes that hit over 80 Iranian targets after Tehran attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The continuation of these brazen attacks — at a time when regional and international efforts toward de-escalation are underway — systematically undermines efforts to lower tensions," Kuwait's foreign ministry said in a statement condemning the Iranian strikes.

The IRGC said its navy and aerospace forces carried out a joint missile and drone operation targeting Bandar Salman, Bahrain's Fifth Naval District and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, while also shooting down a US MQ-9 drone. Separately, the IRGC Navy confirmed one of its personnel was killed in Iran's southwestern Mahshahr region while responding to an incoming drone attack. US Central Command said it struck Iranian air defense systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 IRGC small boats.

The tit-for-tat escalation threatens to unravel the 60-day ceasefire extension signed last month and risks disrupting the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint handling about 21% of global oil trade. Brent crude jumped 5.5% to near $76 a barrel on Tuesday, while the US Treasury revoked a waiver allowing Iran to sell oil — a key provision of the interim deal.

The US launched its strikes after Iran attacked three commercial tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, including a Qatari LNG vessel and a Saudi-flagged crude oil supertanker. The UK navy's Maritime Trade Operations center reported a third vessel was also struck by a drone, sustaining minor structural damage.

The White House revoked General License X, the Treasury Department waiver that permitted Iranian oil sales under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June. A US official said Iran's actions in the strait were "wholly unacceptable" and "will be met with consequences."

NATO leaders react

The escalation unfolded as President Donald Trump attended a NATO summit in Ankara, where he said he was "very disappointed" with the alliance's response to the US-Iran conflict. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the new US strikes "absolutely necessary," saying Iran was "basically violating the ceasefire."

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US of committing "major" violations of the interim deal, including reinstating oil sanctions and launching strikes on southern Iran. "The era of bullying and extortion is over," Ghalibaf said on X.

Kuwait's army said its air defenses were engaging hostile missiles and drones, while Bahrain's interior ministry activated air sirens multiple times and urged residents to head to the nearest safe place.

The Strait of Hormuz remains the central flashpoint. Iran has warned vessels against using a southern route close to Oman's coast, and Tuesday's attacks marked the most significant targeting of commercial shipping since late April. Maritime authorities raised the threat level from "substantial" to "severe."

The last time Iran directly struck US military installations in Gulf host countries was in January 2020, after the US killed Qassem Soleimani. That escalation pushed Brent above $70 a barrel for two weeks before tensions eased.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.