Iran Expands Retaliatory Strikes, Targets US Military Assets Across Gulf Region

Tehran: Iran has launched a fresh wave of retaliatory strikes against US military assets across the Middle East, with missile alerts and air defence responses reported in several Gulf countries as regional tensions escalated sharply.

According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, the attacks targeted multiple US military installations, including a Patriot air defence system, an ammunition depot and a radar facility in Kuwait. Iran also claimed to have struck a US military communications centre and a radar installation in Bahrain, while launching ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Missile warning sirens were activated in Bahrain, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar reported incoming missile and drone threats. The UAE's Defence Ministry said its air defence systems were intercepting hostile projectiles, and Bahrain's Interior Ministry urged residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe locations.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its aerospace forces also carried out a major strike on support and refuelling facilities linked to a US aircraft carrier at Oman's Port of Duqm. The IRGC claimed the operation was aimed at disrupting logistical support for US naval forces operating in the region.

The latest escalation follows a third round of US military strikes against Iran, launched after the IRGC allegedly attacked the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy while it was transiting the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation began at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday under the orders of President Donald Trump, acting as commander-in-chief.

In a statement, CENTCOM described the attack on the commercial vessel as a blatant act of aggression. The command confirmed that one civilian crew member remained missing following the incident but did not disclose the locations or nature of the targets struck during the latest US operation.

The renewed exchange of strikes has heightened fears of a wider regional conflict, with Gulf nations remaining on high alert and global attention focused on the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for international oil shipments.

With inputs from IANS