Iran Strikes Prompt US Airstrikes on Bandar Abbas and Chabahar Port
The United States conducted airstrikes on multiple Iranian targets including areas near Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm island and Chabahar Port after Iran strikes on US-linked facilities escalated tensions across the Gulf. [1] [5] CENTCOM stated its operation began Sunday at 5 p.m. local time to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, with US aircraft downing one Iranian cruise missile and one suicide drone. [1]
US Strikes Target Iranian Military Sites and Chabahar Port
CENTCOM said its forces had completed their latest barrage, which began overnight, on dozens of Iranian targets. [5] US aircraft, naval vessels and drones hit dozens of targets at multiple locations with precision munitions to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. [5] Iranian media reported explosions and strikes around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm and Chabahar Port, where the vessel traffic control tower was damaged. [1] [2] Iran's foreign ministry condemned the US actions as aggressive. [1] In the three nights prior, more than 300 targets were reported hit. [1] One person was killed and four wounded at a water pumping station in the southwestern city of Mahshahr, according to state news agency IRNA. [5] Two deaths were reported in the latest US strikes that targeted large areas across the south and west. [5]
Iran Retaliates Across Gulf States
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed strikes on US military targets in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. [1] [5] Qatar reported three injuries including a child. [1] Qatar stated Iran is fully responsible legally for the attacks. [1] Bahrain's military accused Iran of committing heinous attacks with missiles and drones that target civilians and said it shot down several Iranian projectiles. [5] Jordan's army said it had intercepted four Iranian missiles. [5] Kuwait's army said the country's forces were intercepting hostile aerial targets. [5] Oman stated its territory became a target of drone attacks and summoned Iran's ambassador to protest. [1] [5] The UAE said its air defense systems intercepted missiles and drones launched by Iran. [1] Military Kuwait reported damage from the attacks, including an oil drilling platform strike that injured one worker. [1]
Strait of Hormuz Declared Closed by Iran
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after firing warning shots at vessels. [1] [5] Iran's Revolutionary Guards said after an early Sunday attack on a commercial ship that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region. [5] Iran established a new authority to issue transit permits. [1] The Otoritas Selat Teluk Persia stated traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is currently impossible due to the latest illegal movements of US military forces in the area. [1] Iran said a recent framework agreement with the US was in crisis due to unmet commitments. [5] The United States maintained that the strait remains open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit and that Iran does not control the waterway. [1] [5] The Joint Maritime Information Center led by the US Navy said alternative routes near Oman remain available for two-way traffic despite heightened security threats. [1]
Framework Agreement in Crisis
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said there is no doubt that the June memorandum of understanding is in crisis. [5] Negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote that the era of unilateral agreements has ended and warned to fulfill promises or pay the price. [1] Iran said the US attacks caused the return of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and rendered futile all efforts at establishing peace. [5] Talks in Muscat on Saturday focused on managing the Strait of Hormuz and transit routes failed to reach agreement due to US pressure on Oman. [1] President Donald Trump stated the United States is hitting Iran hard while keeping the door open for further negotiations. [1] Iran stated it will continue acting in the same manner each time the other party fails to meet obligations. [5]
Oil Prices Surge and Regional Trade Disrupted
Oil prices jumped as much as 4.5 percent with WTI nearing $74 per barrel amid fears of supply disruption. [5] Global shares were mixed, with Germany's DAX adding 0.2 percent to 25,105.55, the CAC 40 in Paris edging 0.1 percent higher to 8,347.26, and Britain's FTSE 100 also up just slightly. [3] [4] US strikes targeting infrastructure at Iran’s Chabahar Port damaged the vessel traffic control tower and disrupted operations at the strategic port. [2] The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment stated most Afghanistan imports and exports pass through Bandar Abbas while Chabahar remains an important complementary gateway. [2] World Bank data showed Afghanistan exported goods worth $79.2 million in May 2026, with India accounting for 34 percent of total exports. [2] Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar urged Afghan traders to expand the use of Iranian ports, particularly Chabahar. [2]
Ongoing Diplomatic and Security Developments
Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran was continuing talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman in an effort to prevent any further escalation. [5] Pakistan expressed deep concern at escalation in regional tensions. [5] Analyst Bader Al-Saif said the escalating attacks would merely delay a permanent agreement because both sides want to end the impasse on their own terms. [5] He added that the return to and increase in the scale of attacks only prolongs what will eventually happen: a negotiated settlement. [5]
What to watch next: Iran continues talks with Qatar, Pakistan and Oman while mediators try to salvage a diplomatic resolution after the April ceasefire was declared over.
