Iranian armed forces struck United States military infrastructure across three Gulf states on Thursday, targeting sites in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain in retaliation for fresh American airstrikes on Iran's southern coastal and eastern provinces — a dramatic escalation that has placed the three-week-old ceasefire agreement under severe strain.

The attacks came hours after US President Donald Trump declared the interim ceasefire with Iran to be "over", and followed a pointed warning from Iran's top negotiator, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, that Washington had failed to grasp the consequences of its conduct.

"The US has yet to learn that bullying and breaking its commitments no longer come without a cost. Let me be clear: If you strike, you will be struck back," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only "under Iranian arrangements, not through US threats."

What Iran Targeted — and How Gulf States Responded

Iran's army confirmed in a state media statement that it had struck US Patriot missile defence systems with drones in Kuwait, an early warning satellite antenna installation in Qatar, and a fuel storage facility used by US forces in Bahrain.

Kuwait's military said its air defences had engaged a cruise missile, three ballistic missiles and ten drones in its airspace, with one person injured from falling shrapnel. Qatar — which hosts the largest US military base in the region and has frequently served as a diplomatic go-between for Washington and Tehran — called for an immediate return to diplomacy. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, speaking by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, also condemned recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, several explosions were reported on Thursday morning in Iran's Bushehr province — home to a Russian-built nuclear power plant — according to semi-official Iranian media.

US Strikes and the Hormuz Flashpoint

The US military said its strikes on Wednesday had targeted approximately 90 Iranian military installations, including air defence systems, framing the offensive as necessary to keep the Strait of Hormuz open after Iran targeted three tankers operating in the area. Iranian officials said the strikes killed 14 people and injured 78 across five provinces over 8 and 9 July. One US strike reportedly hit a rail bridge that was being used for trade with Russia and China.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, handling roughly a fifth of global oil supplies before the conflict erupted on 28 February with coordinated US and Israeli strikes against Iran. Tehran has since taken effective control of the waterway, giving it significant leverage in its standoff with American forces. For more background on the diplomatic efforts surrounding this conflict, see the 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations.

While Iran has not formally claimed responsibility for the tanker attacks, analysts have noted that Tehran has historically used such actions to strengthen its hand in negotiations. The strikes may reflect an internal rift between Iranian hardliners — who seek permanent strategic control over the strait — and pragmatists who favour a lasting peace deal capable of lifting crippling international sanctions.

Trump's Personal Security Concerns and Khamenei's Funeral

The escalation unfolded against a sombre backdrop inside Iran, where the country was preparing on Thursday to bury Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the holiest shrine in Mashhad, in the country's northeast. Khamenei was killed in a US airstrike on the opening day of the conflict, 28 February, and his funeral procession drew millions of mourners over the course of a week.

Trump, speaking to reporters at a NATO summit in Turkey before flying home on an altered flight path, claimed he was Iran's "number one" assassination target. Signs calling for his death were reportedly visible among the enormous crowds attending Khamenei's funeral events. Trump declined to directly address questions about whether the change in aircraft was linked to threats against his life, but acknowledged the risk: "They had leaders, they're gone. Then they had another set of leaders, they're gone ... and you know what? I may be gone too."

Trump also renewed threats to seize Kharg Island, through which approximately 90 per cent of Iranian oil exports flow, having previously questioned US appetite for such an operation. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed the remarks, saying they reflected "not a sign of power but an admission of the failure" of US policy toward Iran.

What Comes Next for Negotiations

Formal talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement had been scheduled to begin after Khamenei's funeral, with the mourning period expected to serve as a window of reduced hostilities. The planned negotiations were to address the hardest outstanding issues — including the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme. Those prospects now look significantly more fragile. Trump's declaration that the ceasefire is over and the renewed strikes across multiple fronts have raised serious doubts about whether any diplomatic framework remains intact.

The Hormuz crisis and its broader implications continue to reverberate well beyond the Middle East, with global energy markets watching closely as one of the world's most vital shipping lanes remains under contested control.