Iran Strikes Gulf US Allies as Bahrain Intercepts Aerial Attack
Iran attacked US allies in the Gulf, with Bahrain intercepting aerial fire, as tensions escalate.
Bahrain's air defense systems intercepted an incoming Iranian aerial attack early Wednesday, according to a statement from its military, which accused Tehran of targeting civilians. The Gulf kingdom hosts a key US naval base.
The incident marks an escalation in renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran, which had paused for over a month. The latest round of fighting began over the weekend after US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated with missile fire at American bases in Jordan, which was intercepted.
In the hours before the attack on Bahrain, Iran also fired missiles at Jordan and launched drones toward Kuwait, all of which were intercepted. The United Arab Emirates reported intercepting an Iranian drone over its waters on Monday.
The US Central Command said it had completed its latest barrage against Iranian military targets, including air defense sites, radar systems, and maritime assets. Iranian officials reported that one US strike hit a home hosting a wedding, killing at least five people, including a child, and wounding 68 others. The US military said it was aware of the report but stated it never targets civilians.
The conflict, now in its seventh month, has pushed Brent crude oil prices above $95 per barrel, a rise of more than 30% since the war began. The fighting has also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that previously carried about a fifth of the world's traded oil. Only a handful of ships now make the passage daily.
US President Donald Trump said late Tuesday he would not force Iran to the bargaining table, expressing satisfaction with the current US position of near-total control over the strait and Iran's collapsing economy. He warned that any Iranian retaliation would be met with strikes at a much harder and higher level.