US hits Iran missile systems, boats as Tehran expands attacks on Gulf states

Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir Teymouri said 10 to 11 "enemy projectiles" struck the island, adding that all of the targets were military facilities and that no casualties had been reported.

In Short

• Qeshm governor said 10 to 11 enemy projectiles hit military facilities
• Missile systems, air defences, IRGC speedboats were among intended targets
• Both sides are showing no sign of de-escalation, risking wider conflict

The conflict between the United States and Iran escalated further on Sunday after American forces launched fresh strikes on Iranian military targets around the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks were the latest in a cycle of attacks and counter-attacks as Iran seeks to assert control over shipping through the strait.

According to Axios, citing a senior US official, American forces struck Iranian missile systems, air defence sites and small speedboats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at several locations around the strategic waterway.

Soon after the reported strikes, explosions were heard in Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas, while Iranian officials said nearby Qeshm Island had also come under attack. Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir Teymouri said 10 to 11 "enemy projectiles" had struck the island, adding that all the targets were military facilities and that no civilian casualties had been reported.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency later reported that a maintenance worker was killed while "performing his duties" during the strikes in Hormozgan province. Two other workers were injured, the report said.

HORMUZ EMERGES AS MAIN FLASHPOINT

The fighting is increasingly centred on the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington and Tehran are locked in a high-stakes standoff.

For the Trump administration, Iran's attempts to tighten its grip on the strategic waterway is a direct threat to the flow of vessels. US officials say that disrupting one of the world's busiest shipping lanes threatens global trade and sets a dangerous precedent for other critical maritime routes, from the Strait of Malacca in Asia to the Bosporus in Europe.

Tehran, however, is showing no signs of backing down.

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, set up earlier this year to oversee shipping through the waterway, said vessels would not be allowed to pass because of the "recent illegal movements of the United States military forces in the region."

The agency said requests to use the strait would only be considered again "as soon as stability and calm are restored."

Washington dismissed the claim, insisting the waterway remains open to commercial shipping.

"Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," US Central Command said. It added that US forces remained in position to protect freedom of navigation despite what it described as Iranian "aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations."

IRAN TAKES THE FIGHT ACROSS THE GULF

As American forces struck military targets around Hormuz, Iran widened the battlefield by launching attacks on US-linked sites across the Gulf.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted command-and-control facilities and drone hangars in Jordan, a US radar site and later HIMARS missile launcher systems in Kuwait, aircraft carrier support and refuelling platforms in Oman, and a jet maintenance centre and command facility in Qatar.

Iran's Fars news agency claimed the attack on Kuwait was aimed specifically at American HIMARS missile launchers and ammunition storage facilities.

Kuwait, meanwhile, said three northern border centres and an offshore oil drilling platform suffered damage in what its Defence Ministry described as a "criminal attack." One worker was injured.

Qatar blamed Iran after falling missile debris wounded three people, including a child, saying Tehran was "fully legally responsible" for the attack.

Elsewhere in the region, the United Arab Emirates said its air defences intercepted missiles and drones outside its borders. Bahrain reported shooting down several Iranian aerial threats, while Jordan confirmed missile strikes. Oman also said parts of the country were targeted by drones.

DIPLOMACY SLIPS FURTHER OUT OF REACH

The latest round of attacks has dealt another blow to already fragile diplomatic efforts.

Iran and the US were only halfway through a 60-day interim agreement aimed at reaching a broader peace deal when the fighting flared up again.

President Donald Trump has since said he considers the ceasefire effectively over, although he has continued to say he remains open to future negotiations.

Ironically, the latest escalation came just a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in Muscat for talks centred on the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran said the discussions were intended to coordinate future arrangements for the vital shipping route and would continue with Qatari participation.

Araqchi also spoke by phone with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, whose country has been acting as one of the key intermediaries between Washington and Tehran.

Despite those diplomatic contacts, Iran's public message remained uncompromising.

Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, posted a warning on X, writing: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."

With both sides pressing ahead with military operations and neither showing any sign of stepping back, hopes of reviving diplomacy are fading fast.

- Ends
With inputs from agencies