‘Indiscriminate, reckless’ attacks, say US, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi, UAE
The governments of the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that the Iranian regime had carried out “indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region,” the U.S. State Department said.
The regime’s targets included Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the seven governments said.
Iranian Missiles (photo Fars Media – Creative Commons Attribution 4.0)
“These unjustified strikes targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilian populations and damaged civilian infrastructure,” they said.
“The Islamic Republic’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilising behaviour.”
US military casualties have risen amid the escalating conflict, with three service members confirmed killed in a suspected Iranian drone strike on a base in Kuwait, alongside five others seriously wounded and several more suffering shrapnel injuries or concussions.
President Trump has vowed to avenge these losses, stating that combat operations against Iranian forces will persist and warning that further American casualties are likely before objectives are met. This comes as Iranian strikes have expanded beyond purely military targets, hitting sites like the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and causing visible smoke plumes and structural damage there.
The economic ripple effects are intensifying, particularly in global energy markets, with crude oil prices surging more than 7 per cent in recent trading sessions due to fears over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and broader Gulf shipments. Attacks on ports such as Jebel Ali in Dubai and Duqm in Oman, plus incidents involving oil tankers near Omani waters, have heightened concerns about supply chain stability.
In response, OPEC has moved to increase production by 206,000 barrels per day from April to help offset potential shortfalls, while airspace closures and travel warnings continue to strand passengers and hamper regional commerce.
Hezbollah has entered the fray in solidarity with Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, launching rockets at Israeli missile defence sites, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
This widening involvement risks drawing in additional actors, as blasts have been reported in areas like Cyprus, and further exchanges continue along the Israel-Lebanon border. Analysts describe Iran’s approach of targeting Gulf civilian infrastructure as a bizarre strategy likely to backfire diplomatically, alienating neighbours despite Tehran’s claims of focusing solely on US assets.
with additional information by JWire
