Iran Attacks Bahrain, Kuwait After US Attacks, Warns of ‘Complete Stop’ of Peace Talks | Today’s news
Iran launched drone and missile strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday in retaliation for fresh US airstrikes, escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf and threatening to derail fragile negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The latest exchange came as Tehran warned it would impose a “complete halt” to peace talks if Washington continued military operations, while insisting that it alone should oversee shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iran warns against meddling in the Strait of Hormuz
The escalation follows efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without direct Iranian supervision.
Quick answers to key questions
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Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait shortly after the US airstrikes, calling it retaliation for recent military actions.
Iran has warned of a “complete halt” to peace talks due to continued US military operations, which it says are in violation of ceasefire agreements.
The US military has carried out airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure after Tehran reportedly attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial energy choke point through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are transported, making it a focal point of the US-Iran conflict.
Yes, Iran has warned that vessels must follow its navigational guidelines and has threatened a strong response to those who violate these routes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned during a visit to Baghdad that alternative transport measures would only worsen the crisis.
“Any interference in this matter, any attempt to create new or separate arrangements from those currently carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will only lead to further complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and increase the level of tension,” Araghchi said.
He added that recent incidents on the strategic waterway had already increased “tensions and confrontation”.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy choke points and once carried about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas reserves.
Negotiations between the US and Iran are in jeopardy
Renewed hostilities threaten ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran on an interim peace deal.
The proposed agreement includes discussions on shipping arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of US sanctions and blockades, and the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The two sides agreed to finalize the details within 60 days, based on a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month.
Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait
Shortly after the latest US strikes, Iran fired missiles and drones targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, both key US allies that host US military installations.
Kuwait said its air defense systems intercepted two incoming ballistic missiles and several drones, with no casualties or damage reported.
In Bahrain, authorities said an Iranian strike damaged a residential building near the international airport.
Bahrain’s interior ministry said there were no casualties, although the top floor of the eight-storey building was destroyed.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Bahrain’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes, describing them as: “A dangerous escalation that reveals that what Tehran is doing is not a passing act, nor an isolated incident, but rather a deliberate approach and a systematic pattern of repeated aggression.”
Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, although officials said the damaged building was not located near the naval base.
The US says the attacks were aimed at Iranian military infrastructure
The US military said Sunday’s strikes targeted Iranian military assets after Tehran allegedly violated a ceasefire by attacking a commercial vessel.
According to US Central Command, US forces struck Iran:
Surveillance infrastructure
The strikes followed an attack on the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Kiku, which was carrying oil for Qatar’s state-owned energy company.
Trump accuses Iran of violating the ceasefire
US President Donald Trump defended the military action and accused Iran of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “AGAIN we hit Iran’s missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radars for violating the ceasefire agreement!”
He also warned Tehran against further escalation.
“If this happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”
Another flashpoint remains Lebanon
The conflict continues to spill over into Lebanon, where despite recent diplomatic efforts, fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group remains unresolved.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that any broader ceasefire must include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Araghchi reiterated this position during his visit to Iraq, calling on the United States to pressure Israel to stop the attacks and withdraw its forces.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed it would continue fighting until Israel leaves southern Lebanon.
Overnight, Hezbollah fighters killed an Israeli soldier in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli military, while Israeli attacks continued in parts of southern Lebanon on Sunday.
