Attacks targeting Israel, Gulf infrastructure and Azerbaijan raise fears the widening conflict could disrupt global energy supplies and regional stability.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Iran launched another wave of missile and drone strikes across the Middle East and surrounding regions on Thursday, intensifying hostilities with Israel, the United States and several neighboring states as explosions were reported and multiple air defenses were activated to intercept incoming attacks.
Tehran simultaneously warned that the United States would “bitterly regret” the recent sinking of an Iranian naval vessel by American forces, a development that further escalated tensions in the rapidly expanding conflict.
Missiles launched by Iran triggered air raid sirens across major Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where authorities reported multiple incoming projectiles intercepted by Israeli air defenses.
Iranian attacks also extended beyond Israel, with regional governments reporting drone incursions and strikes against infrastructure.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles struck civilian targets in the Nakhchivan region, including the Nakhchivan International Airport. Officials said investigators were assessing the damage and analyzing the drones used in the assault.
“The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran against civilian infrastructure on the territory of Azerbaijan in the absence of any military necessity. The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement published by the government of Azerbaijan in an official announcement.
Iran has not publicly acknowledged carrying out the strike on Azerbaijan despite the accusation from Baku.
The expanding confrontation is also threatening vital global shipping routes and energy infrastructure.
Commercial tankers operating in Gulf waters reported several attacks Thursday as the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States spread across the region. According to early assessments, a Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair port was targeted by an Iranian remote-controlled explosive boat.
Another tanker anchored off the coast of Kuwait sustained significant damage after a large explosion struck the vessel’s port side, causing it to take on water and release oil.
Shipping data indicates at least nine vessels have been targeted since the war began last weekend.
Maritime traffic across the region has slowed dramatically. Approximately 200 ships, including crude oil carriers, liquefied natural gas tankers and cargo vessels, remain anchored offshore near major Gulf export terminals.
Hundreds of additional vessels have halted outside the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime energy corridors responsible for transporting roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG supply.
Energy infrastructure on land has also been affected.
BP evacuated foreign personnel from Iraq’s Rumaila oil field after two unidentified drones landed within the facility, according to Iraqi oil officials. Iraq subsequently reduced oil production by nearly 1.5 million barrels per day because limited storage capacity prevented the country from loading tankers amid the shipping disruptions.
The escalation has rapidly driven energy prices higher.
Oil prices climbed approximately three percent Thursday and have risen more than 14 percent since the war began. European natural gas benchmarks also surged, with prices jumping more than five percent to roughly 51.30 euros per megawatt hour.
Global supply pressures intensified further after Qatar temporarily halted natural gas production earlier in the week due to the conflict. Qatar accounts for roughly 20 percent of global LNG supply, and analysts say other major producers such as the United States and Australia have limited spare capacity to offset the disruption.
European officials now face growing uncertainty as they attempt to replenish gas storage ahead of winter. The European Union still imports some Russian gas while planning to end pipeline supplies by 2027 and prohibit new short-term LNG contracts beginning in April 2026.
Asian energy markets have also been affected by the instability.
Chinese authorities reportedly instructed domestic refiners to avoid signing new export contracts and to attempt to cancel shipments already scheduled, according to individuals familiar with the discussions.
Meanwhile, several countries reported missile interceptions as Iran continued its retaliatory campaign.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a missile strike targeted the country near the U.S. Embassy in Doha. Air defense systems intercepted the projectile, and officials urged residents to remain calm and rely only on official information sources.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported falling debris in the ICAD 2 industrial district of Abu Dhabi. Six people suffered injuries described as minor to moderate, according to officials, including Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The latest escalation follows the sinking of an Iranian warship by an American submarine earlier this week.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the operation during a Pentagon briefing.
“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo — Quiet Death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win,” Hegseth said in remarks shared in a statement posted on X.
The Iranian vessel reportedly sank after the attack, killing at least 87 sailors. Sri Lankan naval officials said 32 survivors were rescued from the wreck and transported to a hospital.
Iranian leaders strongly condemned the strike. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of committing “an atrocity at sea,” while senior cleric Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli delivered a televised address calling for retaliation.
“Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders,” Amoli said in a statement broadcast on Iranian state television.
The conflict began Saturday when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure and leadership positions.
Among those killed was Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death marked a major escalation in hostilities.
Israeli forces continued operations on Thursday, with the Israel Defense Forces announcing additional strikes against Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets and Basij militia positions in Tehran.
Military officials said the operations targeted command centers, weapons facilities and internal security infrastructure.
The widening scope of the conflict — including attacks on shipping lanes, energy facilities and neighboring countries — has raised concerns among analysts that the war could further destabilize global energy markets and regional security in the weeks ahead.
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