US Central Command said its forces shot down four Iranian attack drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz and then struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar installations at Goruk and on Qeshm Island "to defend against further attacks" [9][2]. Hours later, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had fired ballistic missiles at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, describing the strikes as retaliation for what it called "the invasion of the child-killing and terrorist US army into Sirik and Qeshm Island" [2][19]. CENTCOM stated that six of the seven missiles were intercepted and the seventh failed to reach its target, adding that Iranian claims of damage to the Fifth Fleet headquarters "are false" [6][16]. The exchange marks a new kinetic episode in a conflict that had been under a fragile ceasefire.
The two sides offered mirror-image justifications. CENTCOM described the Iranian drones as posing "an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic" and said US forces "remain vigilant and postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense" [9][11]. The IRGC framed the same sequence in reverse, stating that US drones had struck communications facilities on Qeshm Island and a building in Sirik, and warning that Iran would retaliate without restriction if these hostile acts were repeated [17]. The IRGC added that the United States would bear responsibility for a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas exports [7][19].
Gulf states caught between the two belligerents reported direct consequences. The Kuwaiti military confirmed its air defenses had intercepted missiles and drones, telling the public that "any explosions that may be heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile attacks" [2][15]. Kuwaiti authorities reported at least one person killed, roughly sixty wounded, and damage to Kuwait International Airport from earlier Iranian strikes [21]. Kuwait labeled the attacks "dangerous aggression" [11]. Bahrain's Interior Ministry activated air-raid sirens and urged "citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place" [2][4]. Human Rights Watch assessed Iranian strikes across Gulf states as unlawful under international humanitarian law, documenting civilian deaths and injuries [23]. The US State Department separately announced authorization of a nearly $2 billion sale of anti-drone defense systems to Kuwait, calling the country "a major non-NATO ally" [15].
President Donald Trump projected confidence that the campaign was succeeding. He told NBC that most of Iran's drone factories, missile launchers, and production areas had been destroyed, though he acknowledged Iran retains "maybe 21%-22% of their missiles. It's a lot of missiles, but it's not what it was when we first attacked" [8]. He described Iran's leaders as "strong" and "proud" and said they "have no choice" but to negotiate, adding that the situation "seems to be going quite well" [6][18]. He stated the issue would be resolved "very quickly, either through a signed document or extremely tough measures" [11]. Der Spiegel noted that Trump's 21–22 percent figure was contested by media reports citing US officials [4].
Iranian officials placed the onus for any deal on Washington. Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, told CNN that a peace agreement hinges on the Trump administration unfreezing $24 billion in Iranian assets and warned the US would enter "a dark corridor" if it resumed attacks [8]. A senior Iranian official stated that if Trump wants to reach a deal with Iran, the $24 billion in frozen assets are a test of the trust Iran wants to have with him [18]. A military advisor to the supreme leader said the ball is in Trump's court [13]. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that no tangible progress had been made in negotiations [5].
Domestic opposition to the conflict surfaced in the US Congress. A Dawn editorial reported that a bipartisan resolution calling for troop withdrawal passed narrowly in the Republican-controlled House, with four Republican defectors joining Democrats [3]. House Democrats called for an end to what they described as an illegal war of choice, while members of the MAGA wing of the Republican Party objected to involvement in "another forever war" [3]. Legal experts argued that the strikes may have violated the US Constitution because Congress alone holds the power to declare war and no prior authorization was obtained [31].
The humanitarian and economic toll extended well beyond the Gulf. The World Food Program reported that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "is translating into increased hunger," with an additional 2.5 million people in Somalia, 1.3 million in Sri Lanka, and 2.3 million in Afghanistan struggling to meet basic food needs due to high oil prices and fertilizer shortages [2]. Jean-Martin Bauer, director of WFP's Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service, said: "In many cases, the poorest families around the world, far from the center of the crisis, are being hit the hardest" [2]. Citi projected that continued disruption could push Brent crude to $110–130 per barrel [32].
Regional powers called for restraint. Saudi Arabia warned against further confrontation and urged all parties to de-escalate and support mediation [29]. Oman resisted US pressure to cut ties with Iran, insisting on neutrality and a governance framework for the Strait of Hormuz compliant with international law [33]. Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stated that Turkey's dependence on Hormuz-origin oil is about 10 percent and "manageable" [34].
The parallel conflict in Lebanon compounded the diplomatic picture. Hezbollah rejected US-brokered ceasefire conditions and demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon [5][14]. Israel's defense minister declared ground operations would continue [14]. El Financiero reported that the stalled Lebanon talks reflected a broader pattern in which ceasefire announcements did not translate into cessation of hostilities [5].
Indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain ongoing, with no date set for a next round [10][8].