The Middle East stands on the precipice of a major conflict after Iran launched a coordinated series of missile and drone attacks against five Gulf nations on Sunday.
The offensive followed a third round of intense U.S. airstrikes on Iranian soil, pushing the region into a state of high alert.
The U.S. struck about 140 Iranian military targets, including drone sites and ammunition storage, as ordered by President Donald Trump.
U.S. Central Command said the operation was launched after Iran attacked a commercial container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes.
They defended the strikes, saying, "The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the strait closed "until further notice" and carried out retaliatory strikes at targeted military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, and Oman.
Iranian officials said the attacks were retaliation for the U.S. bombing campaign and what they described as American interference in the Gulf.
The escalation marks a collapse of a fragile memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran signed just last month.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signaled a hardline stance against the U.S. presence, stating, “The era of one-sided deals is over.”
He further warned, “We told you: keep your word or pay the price.
"Reality is knocking.”
Regional powers have reacted with alarm.
Qatar’s government denounced the attacks as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of its nation. Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman affirmed its condemnation and denunciation of this attack.
As shipping traffic remains halted in the strategic waterway, global markets are preparing for the potential impact on energy supplies, while residents across the Gulf remain under strict security warnings.
Comments
Add a comment