US-Iran strikes widen across Gulf states

The United States and Iran have intensified their exchange of attacks, drawing Gulf states deeper into a conflict that has entered an eleventh consecutive night of American strikes and raised the risk of a wider regional war.

US Central Command said its latest operation targeted Iran’s military infrastructure, including coastal surveillance systems, air defence installations, maritime assets and storage facilities for missiles and drones. The campaign is aimed at reducing Tehran’s ability to attack American forces and threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran responded with missiles and drones directed at US-linked facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. Air raid sirens sounded in parts of Kuwait as defence systems intercepted incoming projectiles, while Bahrain reported further efforts to repel aerial threats. Jordan has strengthened security around military sites after deadly strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.

The renewed bombardment followed attacks that killed American personnel in Jordan and Iraq. The US military has identified several service members killed during strikes on the Jordanian base, including troops assigned to air defence units. Another soldier died in northern Iraq during the controlled destruction of an Iranian drone.

The deaths have increased political pressure on President Donald Trump to explain Washington’s objectives and provide a timetable for ending the fighting. Trump has vowed to retaliate heavily for attacks on American forces, while warning that further strikes could be ordered against fortified nuclear and military sites.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the conflict has cost the United States about $37.5 billion. The administration is seeking tens of billions of dollars in additional military funding, prompting questions in Congress about the duration of the campaign, its strategic goals and the possibility of deploying more personnel to the region.

The Pentagon maintains that the operation is intended to weaken Iran’s missile, drone and maritime capabilities rather than begin an open-ended occupation. Military officials have nevertheless acknowledged that air power alone may not eliminate every threat, particularly mobile missile launchers, underground facilities and armed groups operating outside Iran.

Tehran says its attacks are legitimate retaliation for US operations inside its territory. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed responsibility for strikes against military assets across the Gulf and in Jordan, while warning countries hosting American forces that their bases could become targets.

Reports also point to attacks involving US positions or allied facilities in Syria and Iraq, where Iran-aligned armed groups retain extensive missile and drone capabilities. Security alerts have been raised at bases supporting American troops, and regional governments are attempting to prevent militia activity from opening additional fronts.

Kuwait has faced particular concern after a strike damaged the Subiya power and water desalination complex. Desalination facilities supply most of the country’s drinking water, making them among the Gulf’s most sensitive civilian assets. Damage to such infrastructure could quickly affect water distribution, electricity generation and public confidence even when production is restored.

Authorities across the Gulf have urged residents to follow official safety instructions and avoid circulating unverified images or reports. Airports and airlines are also reviewing routes as missile launches, interception activity and airspace restrictions complicate civilian travel.

The confrontation is placing growing strain on governments that host US forces but have sought to avoid direct involvement in the war. Bahrain houses the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Kuwait supports major American logistics operations, and Jordan provides access to strategically important air bases. Qatar, Oman and other regional states have also faced security alerts linked to the conflict.

Energy markets have reacted sharply to the expanding attacks. Brent crude climbed above $92 a barrel as traders assessed threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The strait remains a vital route for oil and liquefied natural gas exports from Gulf producers, while disruption there has pushed more shipments towards alternative pipelines and ports.

That strategy is now under pressure from Yemen’s Houthi movement, which has threatened ships carrying Saudi crude through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Several tankers altered course after the group announced what it described as a blockade of Saudi oil traffic, raising shipping costs and adding another point of vulnerability to global energy supplies.

Saudi Arabia has increased the use of its east-west pipeline to move crude to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, bypassing Hormuz. Threats near the Red Sea, however, could weaken the value of that alternative and force vessels onto longer routes around Africa.