08 July,2026 11:56 AM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/AFP
The United States military launched strikes against Iran early Wednesday after accusing Tehran of attacking three ships in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in the region. Iran responded by targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, raising concerns over the stability of a fragile interim agreement aimed at preventing further conflict.
The latest exchange has increased fears that the ceasefire arrangement could come under pressure, although both sides have not indicated an immediate withdrawal from negotiations.
The attacks took place during funeral events for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 during the initial phase of the conflict at the age of 86. The funeral ceremonies, which are scheduled to conclude Thursday, had earlier been viewed as a period when tensions could ease.
Negotiations on a final agreement were expected to begin after Khamenei's burial, focusing on key issues such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing concerns over Iran's nuclear programme. However, the latest escalation has created uncertainty over the talks.
"The era of bullying and extortion is over," Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X. "It leads nowhere. We don't fold."
The US military's Central Command said American forces carried out the strikes in response to attacks on commercial vessels operating in international waters.
The US military's Central Command said American forces launched the strikes "to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway."
According to US officials, the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, radar facilities and more than 60 small boats operated by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The vessels have reportedly been used in previous confrontations involving ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said it remains "postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed," adding that the latest round of strikes had concluded.
Iran confirmed that strikes had taken place but did not provide details about casualties or damage. Iranian state media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik.
Following the US strikes, Bahrain and Kuwait issued missile alerts on Wednesday morning. Bahrain hosts the US Navy's 5th Fleet, while Kuwait hosts US Army forces.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard acknowledged targeting US military installations in both countries.
"The child-killing and terrorist US army ... openly violated the ceasefire and violated the Islamabad understanding by launching an airstrike on a number of coastal bases and civilian stations on the coasts of Hormozgan and Mahshahr provinces," it said, without commenting on the attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Bahrain issued another alert later in the day as regional tensions remained high.
Along with the military response, the United States revoked a license that had allowed Iran to openly sell crude oil in the international market under the interim agreement.
The move came after attacks on three ships near the Strait of Hormuz. One tanker was hit and caught fire near the coast of Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre. Two other ships sustained damage but continued their journeys, with no injuries reported.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important energy routes, with a major share of global oil and natural gas shipments passing through the waterway.
Iran has maintained restrictions over the strait since the conflict began and has insisted that vessels use approved routes.
Funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued in Iraq's Najaf city on Wednesday, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior officials from Iran and Iraq attending.
Additional funeral prayers are expected to be held at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala before Khamenei's burial in Mashhad, Iran.
His son and Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet appeared publicly during the ceremonies. Reports suggest he was injured in the strike that killed his father.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
