Iran’s Drone and Missile Strikes Escalate Regional Tensions

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) — On Sunday, Iran launched drones and missiles targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for United States airstrikes on the Islamic Republic. The Iranian government has warned that ongoing attacks by Washington could lead to a complete breakdown in peace negotiations aiming to end the conflict.

The efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct involvement have sparked ongoing crossfire in the region, threatening long-term ceasefire talks. A multinational maritime body supervised by the U.S. Navy announced plans to expand a route near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, offering a new corridor for traffic. This move has heightened tensions with Tehran.

The Strait of Hormuz, historically viewed by the global community as an international passage, is located in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. Recently, Iran has targeted vessels within the UN-backed route on the Omani side. Iran claims that after the war, it should solely govern the Strait, the vital gateway of the Persian Gulf through which significant global oil and gas transit occurs. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated this stance during an official visit to Iraq on Sunday.

“Any interference in this matter, any attempt to establish new arrangements separate from those currently managed by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only lead to more complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and increase tension levels, as we witnessed in incidents over the last two nights,” said Araghchi in Baghdad.

The U.S. and Iran continue discussions over a provisional peace agreement, including issues like permitting vessel passage through the Gulf, lifting U.S. blockades and sanctions, and addressing Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. Under this memorandum, signed earlier this month, both countries have 60 days to finalize details.

The attacks threaten to derail this agreement before completion. Continued conflicts in Lebanon, where an Israeli soldier was killed by Hezbollah fire early Sunday, have also put the agreement in jeopardy.

Attacks on Regional States Hosting U.S. Troops

On Sunday morning, the Kuwaiti military reported intercepting incoming Iranian drones and missiles shortly after U.S. attacks. Kuwait, home to a major U.S. Army base, detected and intercepted two ballistic missiles with no injuries or damages reported.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported Iranian attacks damaging a residential building near the international airport without fatalities. The ministry released images of the destruction involving the top floor of an eight-story building filled with debris and shattered windows.

Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, whose base faced repeated attacks during the war. The affected building was not close to the fleet headquarters in central Manama. Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned these Iranian actions as “a dangerous escalation that reveals Tehran’s actions are neither coincidental nor isolated, but deliberate and systematic.” Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Trump Accuses Iran of Ceasefire Violations

The recent U.S. strikes followed a weekend exchange of fire with Iran. On Sunday morning, U.S. Central Command revealed attacks on Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and mine-laying capabilities following an attack on a ship on Saturday. The Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku, carrying oil for Qatar’s state energy firm—a key negotiator between Iran and the U.S.—was involved.

President Trump stated on social media that the U.S. had “targeted Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites for violating the Ceasefire Agreement, AGAIN.” He warned that U.S. patience could run out, potentially resorting to military action to finish the conflicts. “Should that happen, the Islamic Republic of Iran will cease to exist,” wrote Trump on his platform, Truth Social.

An earlier exchange followed a similar pattern, with a Thursday incident involving an Iranian drone striking a merchant ship off Oman, prompting U.S. military counterattacks.

Conflict Persists in Lebanon

Iran maintains its insistence that the ceasefire must encompass a halt in hostilities in Lebanon, where Israel contends with Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran. Shortly after the U.S. and Israel instigated war on Iran in February, Hezbollah fired at Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israel responded by annexing large portions of southern Lebanon, displacing hundreds of thousands.

Israel has declared that troop withdrawal will occur only when Hezbollah disarms. Last week, Israel and the Lebanese government signed a framework to end the conflict, yet Hezbollah and Iran were excluded. Hezbollah criticized the agreement and refused disarmament.

On Sunday in Iraq, Araghchi reiterated the stance that the U.S. must force Israel to cease attacks and withdraw. Israel occupies approximately 600 square kilometers of southern Lebanon as a security zone to halt Hezbollah’s attacks.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued intermittently. The Iran-backed group leader stated on Saturday that Hezbollah will persist till Israel withdraws from Lebanon, deeming the Israeli-Lebanese agreement signed Friday “non-existent.”

Despite Iran-U.S. mid-June accord, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have noticeably decreased, though they remain ongoing, killing at least one person on Saturday, based on Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Two separate Israeli strikes targeted areas in southern Lebanon on Sunday morning—once in Taybeh and another in Nabatiyeh—according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Immediate casualty information was unavailable.

Overnight, Hezbollah militants killed an Israeli soldier in Deir Siryan, according to the Israeli military. Hezbollah did not comment on the incident.

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. AP journalist Sally Abou AlJoud contributed from Beirut.