Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Jul 12: Iran launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks targeting US military-linked sites across the Gulf on Sunday, hours after the United States carried out a third round of strikes against Iranian targets following an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iranian state media, missile alert sirens sounded in Bahrain, while the United Arab Emirates activated its air defence systems to intercept incoming missiles and drones. Qatar also reported an attack, with authorities responding to the developing situation.
Iran's state-run Press TV reported that the latest strikes targeted US military assets, including a Patriot air defence system, an ammunition depot and a radar installation in Kuwait. It also claimed that Iranian forces struck a US military communications facility and radar site in Bahrain and launched a ballistic missile attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. These specific claims have not been independently verified.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed that its aerospace forces had targeted US aircraft carrier support and refuelling facilities at Oman's Port of Duqm, describing them as logistical hubs supporting US naval operations.
The escalation follows fresh US military action against Iran. Earlier on Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had launched a third round of strikes against Iranian targets after the IRGC allegedly attacked the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel reportedly caught fire, suffered severe engine-room damage and was left unable to continue its voyage, with one civilian crew member reported missing.
CENTCOM said the operation was carried out under the direction of President Donald Trump in response to what it described as continued Iranian attacks on commercial shipping and Tehran's failure to comply with an existing maritime understanding. The US military has not disclosed the locations targeted in its latest strikes or details of the weapons used.