By Blessing Nweke
The United States and Iran exchanged military strikes across the Middle East for a second consecutive day, escalating tensions and placing further strain on a fragile ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries in April.
The latest round of hostilities began after US Central Command (Centcom) announced it had carried out what it described as “self-defense strikes” against military, surveillance and radar installations in southern Iran. The operation came just hours after President Donald Trump warned that US forces would strike Iran “hard” and accused Tehran of taking too long to negotiate a permanent settlement to end the conflict.
In response, Iran launched attacks against US military assets across the region. American bases in Bahrain and Kuwait were targeted for a second straight day, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it fired ballistic missiles at a US command centre in Jordan.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said air raid sirens were activated overnight, while Kuwait’s military reported intercepting hostile aerial targets. Kuwaiti authorities also temporarily closed the country’s airspace as a precaution.
The IRGC further claimed it struck two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian state media reported that the strategic waterway had been closed to all vessels. However, Centcom disputed that assertion, saying commercial shipping continued to pass through the strait.
Concerns over regional stability pushed oil prices higher, with Brent crude rising about 2% to around $95 per barrel.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Tehran would “stand firm against any pressure or threat,” while Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the Middle East was being “pulled deeper into crisis” and urged all parties to pursue a diplomatic solution before the violence escalates into a wider conflict.
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