Strait of Hormuz closure fears intensified after Iran widened strikes across the Gulf and the United States said it hit more than 300 Iranian military targets over three nights.
Iran and US forces traded heavy missile and drone attacks over the weekend. Tehran also said again that the Strait of Hormuz was closed to shipping. Meanwhile, Washington said vessel traffic still moved through an expanded southern route near Oman.
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates came under attack for the first time in months. Iran also renewed strikes on Jordan, Kuwait and Oman. Qatar said falling shrapnel injured three people, including a child, and blamed Iran. Kuwait reported damage and one injury at an oil drilling platform. Bahrain said it intercepted several aerial attacks, while Oman reported drone strikes in two regions.
Strait of Hormuz Closure Adds Supply Risk
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they hit a command centre and drone hangars in Jordan. They also said they struck a radar site and rocket launchers in Kuwait, carrier support infrastructure in Oman, and a jet maintenance facility in Qatar. In addition, Iranian state media reported blasts in several port cities and the death of an army officer.
The US said its strikes aimed to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strait. It said 140 of those attacks took place on Saturday alone. However, Washington also accused Iran of aggression, harassment, threats and arbitrary declarations.
An Indian crew member went missing after Iran struck the container vessel GFS Galaxy off Oman’s coast. Omani authorities said they rescued the other 23 crew members. Qatar, meanwhile, told all vessels, including leisure and fishing boats, to halt activity in its waters.
Ceasefire Doubts Grow After Weekend Attacks
The latest fighting raised new doubts about an interim agreement reached last month. That deal had aimed to reopen the strait and end the war after another 60 days of talks. President Donald Trump said this week he now sees the ceasefire as over, although he left open the possibility of more negotiations. Iranian and Omani officials still held talks in Muscat over the weekend.
Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first public statement since his father’s funeral. He pledged vengeance for his father’s death in the strike that started the war in February. However, he has not appeared in public since taking the role in March.
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