US Central Command (Centcom) said its forces shot down four Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz and then struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar installations on Qeshm Island and near Sirik, describing the drones as "an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic" [1][5][7]. Hours later, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had fired ballistic missiles at "enemy bases in the area," naming the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait and the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain as targets [2][3][4]. Centcom said six of seven missiles were intercepted and the seventh "did not reach its intended target," adding there were no US casualties and that IRGC claims of damaging the Fifth Fleet headquarters were false [2][12].
The Iranian foreign ministry stated the US strikes were a "flagrant" violation of the ceasefire agreement and an attack on Iran's "national sovereignty and territorial integrity," adding that the radar facilities were used to "ensure the security of navigation in international waters" [1][4][12]. Tehran called on regional states not to allow their territory to be used for aggression against Iran [6]. The IRGC, in a statement carried by Iranian media, described its operation as retaliation for what it called a US "invasion" of Sirik and Qeshm islands, and an Iranian domestic outlet reported the IRGC claimed to have also targeted US bases in Qatar and the UAE as part of "Operation True Promise 4" [19][20]. Centcom did not confirm strikes on those additional locations.
Kuwait condemned the attacks in the "strongest terms," calling them a "dangerous escalation" and a "flagrant aggression that ignores international calls" to cease hostilities, and reserved the right to take all necessary defensive measures [3][5][12]. Kuwait's military said it had "engaged seven hostile ballistic missiles" in Kuwaiti airspace and that debris from interceptions over residential areas caused material damage but no military casualties [12]. Kuwaiti health officials reported one person killed and 63 injured, with damage to Kuwait International Airport, vital infrastructure, and diplomatic missions [17]. Kuwait's civil aviation authority temporarily closed the country's airspace, diverting 11 flights to neighboring airports [3]. Bahrain denounced the attacks as "blatant aggression" and "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of both countries," adding that security is not built with missiles and drones, and stability is not protected by laying mines [6][11][12].
A broad coalition of states joined the condemnation. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said Iran's attacks "undermine international efforts to restore security and stability in the region" [6]. Egypt called them a "heinous Iranian attack" and a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the two countries" [12]. Jordan said the strikes constituted a "blatant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter" [12]. Qatar called for de-escalation and stressed the necessity of sparing the region the consequences of "unjustified attacks" [12]. The Gulf Cooperation Council's secretary-general condemned the strikes as a violation of international law and good neighborliness [18]. France condemned the attacks "with the utmost firmness" and expressed solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain [23], while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called the attack on Kuwait International Airport "totally unacceptable" [24].
At the United Nations Security Council, a resolution "strongly condemning" Iran's attacks on neighboring states passed with 13 votes in favor and two abstentions — from China and Russia [21]. Russia submitted an alternative draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation, which failed to pass [21]. The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized US and Israeli strikes on Iran as acts of aggression and called for balanced condemnation of all parties [22]. China expressed reservations about the wording of the Western-backed resolution [21].
President Donald Trump told NBC News that Iran retained roughly "21, 22 per cent" of its missile stockpile and that "most drone factories, launch pads, and missile production facilities have been destroyed," adding that Iran had "got no choice" except to reach an agreement [8][11][12]. He said the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain "in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed" [1]. Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said "the negotiations are at a deadlock and Trump must break this deadlock" by releasing $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets, warning the US would "enter into a dark corridor" if it resumed attacks [2][8].
Reem, an Egyptian mother of two living in Kuwait, told AFP: "We woke up to a huge explosion. My children were terrified, and I couldn't calm them down" [4][12]. India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed one Indian national was killed and 13 others were injured in the Kuwait airport attack, and issued travel advisories while facilitating evacuations [25]. The World Food Programme said the conflict was pushing millions of people closer to hunger due to rising fuel and transport costs [5][8]. The World Bank warned the conflict could trigger the largest energy price surge since 2022 [27]. The Stimson Center, cited in a South Korean analysis, noted that South Korea imports 70 percent of its crude oil and 30 percent of its natural gas from the Middle East, with those resources accounting for over 56 percent of the country's energy consumption [28].
Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said the main beneficiaries of the Hormuz crisis were US oil companies, which he said were gaining "non-competitive advantages" potentially worth over $60 billion in additional profit in 2026 [6]. Separately, the US State Department approved a $1.98 billion arms sale to Kuwait for counter-drone technology, stating it would "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally" [12].
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad was "in touch with all relevant stakeholders" and working to secure lasting peace between the US and Iran, with Pakistan's interior minister traveling to Iran for direct mediation [26][13]. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam addressed Iran's leaders: "Have mercy on our south, stop treating it and its people as merely a bargaining chip" [2]. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded: "Had Lebanon been a bargaining chip for Iran, we'd have a deal long ago. Save Lebanon from your real foe, Mr President" [5].
The ceasefire remains nominally in place but no date has been set for resumed negotiations. Trump has called for unspecified changes to a tentative 60-day extension deal, while Iranian officials have shown no public sign of agreeing to the proposal [13].