Iran targeted US allies Bahrain and Kuwait on Monday as the US military carried out a ninth consecutive night of strikes against the Islamic republic, including reported attacks on military sites linked to missile launches that killed two American service members.
Strikes were reported on two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, including a supertanker hit by a missile in its steering gear compartment. In Bahrain, authorities said air traffic navigation equipment was attacked by "hostile drones".
One of the ships was identified as oil supertanker Acheloos, managed by a Greek company. A second tanker, Kavomaleas, was reported to be on fire near the strait.
Kuwait said its air defences intercepted hostile drones after what it called an “Iranian aggression”, while Bahrain activated warning sirens and urged residents to seek shelter as Gulf states remained on high alert.
The US embassy in Bahrain also warned Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama, advising Americans to remain vigilant, avoid windows during explosions or sirens, and monitor official updates.
The US military's Central Command said its latest strikes targeted Iranian command centres, air defences, coastal surveillance sites, missile and drone facilities, and maritime capabilities aimed at limiting Tehran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported strikes across several strategic locations, including Tabriz, where Iran operates one of its underground missile complexes known as missile cities. The site is believed to have been used to launch missiles that killed at least two US personnel in Jordan on Friday.
The US military has not confirmed details of the reported strikes or provided an assessment of damage.
The Israeli military said Iranian missiles also targeted Jordan’s Aqaba on Sunday, with several intercepted by US and Jordanian air defences. The Israeli military said it launched interceptors towards missile debris to prevent impact inside Israel, although no sirens were activated and no damage or injuries were reported in Israel or Jordan. Jordan’s military said three missiles were intercepted and a fourth landed in an open area.
Iran receives ceasefire proposal
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched ballistic missile attacks against US military aircraft at Aqaba airport, claiming it had caused “heavy damage” to American aircraft. The IRGC also said two oil tankers near the southern approaches to the Strait of Hormuz had exploded and been disabled, warning that the waterway would remain unsafe while US “hostility” continued.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was targeting the sites used by Iran to launch missiles and drones, while also seeking to protect commercial shipping. He accused Tehran of reversing a previous commitment to reopen the strait and said Iran had attacked three ships instead.
“The United States is involved not just in protecting those ships, but also in targeting the places they use to launch these missiles and drones,” Mr Rubio said. He added that Washington remained open to diplomacy, but said Iran’s actions, rather than its public statements about negotiations, were driving US response.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Washington’s main objective was ensuring oil and gas could continue to flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump said Iran had been “very, very badly damaged” militarily and claimed the US now controlled the Strait of Hormuz. “We control the Strait. They don’t control anything,” Mr Trump told reporters, adding Iran retained some missile and drone capabilities, but had lost much of its military capacity.
Diplomatic efforts appeared to intensify alongside the military escalation. Iranian media reported that Qatar had floated a new ceasefire proposal to Tehran and Washington, with initial details suggesting a halt to fighting and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian control for a 10-day period.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed on Monday that Tehran had received proposals aimed at de-escalation through regional mediators.
"The proposals made through the mediators have been announced to us and we have received them, but for now, let me not go into their details," he said.
It comes after Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Sunday and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the war could end either through “absolute military victory” or negotiations.
Oil prices rose above $90 a barrel on Monday as markets reacted to the growing risk of a wider Gulf conflict. Brent crude traded at $90.32 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose to $84.44, reflecting fears that prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect global energy supplies.
