US strikes Iran, Tehran retaliates with missile and drone attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for renewed negotiations as military activity continues across the Middle East, saying the return of strikes between the United States and Iran makes “maximum containment” essential. He said earlier diplomacy had appeared close to a breakthrough and urged both sides to restart talks.

Guterres also called for "freedom of navigation" to be fully restored in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab — two key maritime routes whose disruption can affect global energy and trade flows.

Iran's army said Wednesday it targeted US forces at an air base in Washington-allied Bahrain, as Tehran launched strikes targeting American interests across the Middle East.

"The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, several hours ago, targeted radar installations and assembly points of US terrorist forces at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain through intensive attacks carried out by suicide drones," state media reported.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran was attempting to rebuild a network of radar installations along the Strait of Hormuz before the US military struck and destroyed the emerging system, in a move to deny Tehran a grip of the strategic waterway.

Bessent described Iran's effort in unusually dismissive terms, referring to what he called a “patchwork tinker toy erector set radar” that Iranian forces were trying to reconstruct along the shores of the Strait.

“Iran does not have control of the Strait. And they are in a death spiral,” Bessent said.

He said Iran had been rebuilding “some patchwork of tinker toy erector set radar” along the Strait before US forces targeted the installations.

The comments came after the US military launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday, including air-defence systems, radar sites, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities, as per the US Central Command.

Radar is critical to Iran's ability to monitor shipping and military activity through the Strait, detect aircraft and ships, and support anti-ship and air-defense operations.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday that they struck US bases with missiles and drones in Erbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, state media reported.

The Guards said they "carried out a coordinated missile and drone attack on US bases in Erbil" that destroyed a maintenance centre, warehouses and the "guidance system of a US surveillance aerostat", according to a statement carried by the state-run IRNA.

Two attacks on commercial tankers were reported in the past 48 hours around the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian forces continued what a regional maritime security centre described as persistent "surveillance, harassment and attempted disruption" of shipping.

The Bahrain-based Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said its latest assessment recorded two incidents corresponding to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) warnings 122-26 and 124-26.

The first incident, UKMTO 122-26, involved the oil tanker Burgan, which reported a security incident while transiting the waterway. The vessel subsequently anchored at a position about 1 nautical mile northwest of Jazirat Um Al Ghanam.

The second incident, UKMTO 124-26, involved a tanker that reported being struck by three unknown projectiles while completing an outbound transit of the Strait, about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman. UKMTO said there were no reported casualties or environmental impact and that authorities were investigating.

JMIC said the incidents came alongside continued activity attributed to Iran's IRGC, including unmanned aerial vehicle overflights, targeted surveillance of merchant ships and occasional VHF radio hailing.

The pattern, the centre said, indicates an Iranian effort to maintain a visible military presence along the critical shipping lane and keep pressure on vessels attempting to navigate the Strait.

The latest incidents involve both inbound and outbound commercial traffic, underscoring the continuing risk to ships approaching or leaving the world's most important oil chokepoint.

The US launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets, escalating a confrontation that had entered a period of relative calm and raising fresh fears that fighting could again spread across the Gulf.

The latest strikes followed Iranian attacks and attempted attacks on commercial shipping, US forces and strategic targets around the region. Washington has framed the operation as a response to threats against shipping and US personnel, particularly Iran's apparent efforts to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump warned Tehran that any further retaliation would bring a much stronger US response, signaling that Washington is prepared to escalate rather than return immediately to the earlier ceasefire arrangement.

Kuwait said its air-defence systems are responding to hostile missile and drone threats, following what the Army described as "Iranian aggression".

The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirmed that any explosions heard in the country are likely the sound of air-defence systems intercepting incoming targets.

Authorities urged residents to remain calm and follow safety and security instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Day 180: Trump warns of more strikes on Tehran

Day 179: UAE strongly condemns missile attacks on Jordan

Day 178: Iran supreme leader calls for unity among Muslim countries

Day 177: 82 ships redirected under US blockade

Day 176: Iran urges countries not to join US 'illegal' sanctions

Day 175: Trump hints US could sanction Chinese banks over Iran links

Day 174: Middle East War: Iran, Oman propose temporary Hormuz shipping corridor