The conflict between the United States and Iran intensified dramatically on Sunday after both sides exchanged fresh waves of missile and drone attacks, raising fears of a wider regional war and further disruption to global energy supplies.
Iran launched strikes targeting US military facilities across several Gulf states and announced that it had once again closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes. The move casts serious doubt over an interim US-Iran agreement signed last month, which aimed to reopen the waterway and pave the way for a permanent ceasefire following 60 days of negotiations.
The latest attacks marked a significant escalation in both the pace and geographical reach of the conflict. Iran extended its missile campaign to Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire talks that had not been targeted since April. The United Arab Emirates also confirmed its air defence systems intercepted Iranian missiles and drones after avoiding attacks since early May.
In response, the US military launched another round of strikes against Iranian targets on Sunday evening. US Central Command said the operations were intended to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten civilian shipping and commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The command also confirmed that US forces had intercepted an Iranian cruise missile and a one-way attack drone.
Speaking briefly to Reuters, US President Donald Trump defended the military action, saying, “We’re beating them up,” in reference to the latest strikes against Iran.
Iranian media reported explosions and missile strikes around the key port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas, home to major military installations overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, as well as nearby Qeshm Island.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as “aggressive” US attacks, claiming American pressure had also undermined talks held in Muscat, Oman, aimed at managing navigation and transit through the strait.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, declared on social media that “the era of one-sided deals is over,” warning that the United States must honour previous agreements or “pay the price.”
The conflict, which began when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on 28 February, has destabilised the Gulf region. Iran has since targeted several countries hosting US military bases while tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas previously passed.
Iran has sought to establish a permanent permit system for vessels using the strait and warned ships not to transit without its approval. Tehran claimed it had shut the waterway after firing warning shots at a vessel using an unauthorised route and later announced it had disabled a second ship.
The escalating security crisis has already affected regional shipping. India reported one of its nationals missing following an attack on the container vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman, while Omani authorities rescued 23 crew members. Qatar has advised all vessels, including fishing boats and recreational craft, to suspend operations until further notice.
Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority said commercial passage through the waterway remains impossible due to what it called “illegal movements” by US military forces, adding that transit permits would only resume once stability returned.
The United States rejected Iran’s claims, insisting Tehran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining that commercial shipping remains operational. The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center also advised vessels that an expanded southern route near Oman remains available despite the heightened security threat.
US Central Command said its forces had struck more than 300 Iranian military targets over the past three nights, including 140 targets on Saturday alone, in an effort to degrade Iran’s military capabilities.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they retaliated by destroying command facilities and drone hangars in Jordan, striking a US radar installation and rocket launcher systems in Kuwait, attacking US naval support facilities in Oman, and hitting military infrastructure in Qatar.
Several Gulf nations also reported damage from the latest attacks. Qatar said three people, including a child, were injured by falling debris and held Iran fully responsible. Bahrain intercepted multiple aerial threats, Jordan reported missile strikes, Oman said it had been targeted by drones, while Kuwait confirmed damage to an oil drilling platform that left one worker injured.
Oman has since summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the drone attacks, while the US Embassy advised American citizens in Duqm and Musandam to shelter in place as tensions across the Gulf continue to rise.
