Iran Strikes US Military Targets Across Gulf as Ceasefire Collapses

Iran's armed forces have launched attacks on U.S. military infrastructure in several Gulf states, marking a significant escalation of hostilities and the collapse of a three-week-old ceasefire, according to Iranian state media. The retaliatory strikes followed recent U.S. attacks on Iranian provinces and coincided with the burial of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on February 28.

A Widening Conflict

Iranian state media reported that its army targeted multiple U.S. assets across the region. The attacks reportedly included:

• U.S. Patriot missile systems in Kuwait.
• An early-warning site in Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. base in the region.
• A U.S. Army fuel depot in Bahrain.
• The Azraq military base in Jordan, which is used by U.S. forces, with 10 ballistic missiles.

Kuwait's armed forces confirmed they engaged a cruise missile, three ballistic missiles, and 10 drones in its airspace, with one person injured by shrapnel. Jordan also reported intercepting eight missiles, with no damage or injuries. The strikes came after the U.S. military said it had struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets, which Iranian media claimed killed 14 people.

U.S. Position and Strait of Hormuz Tensions

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A U.S. official stated there had been no American strikes in the hours preceding Iran's latest attacks. U.S. Central Command had previously characterized its strikes as retribution for Iranian attacks on three tankers, which shattered the ceasefire. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the truce was "over," though a second U.S. official, cited by Reuters, maintained that Washington was still committed to a resolution and that "technical talks continue."

The U.S. military asserts its actions are aimed at keeping the critical Strait of Hormuz open, stating it has facilitated the transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 380 million barrels of crude oil since early May. However, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy warned that any further U.S. intervention would draw a "crushing response," insisting the waterway would reopen only under Iranian arrangements.

Market Impact and Diplomatic Fallout

Oil prices, which had previously spiked on fears of a wider conflict disrupting global supplies, fell back on Thursday, according to market reports. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital chokepoint, handling about a fifth of global oil supplies before the conflict began, and its status remains a key source of market volatility.

The escalating violence has prompted international calls for restraint. Qatar condemned attacks on commercial shipping but urged a return to diplomacy. The foreign ministers of Turkey and Oman also stressed the need to avoid further military escalation in calls with their Iranian counterpart, according to the source report.