On Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for attacks on US Fifth Fleet command-and-control, logistical, petroleum, and military equipment installations in Bahrain and a US base in Kuwait. The IRGC vowed to continue targeting US military assets in the region.

These Iranian strikes followed a fourth consecutive night of US military attacks against Iran, which lasted seven hours. The US military, under CENTCOM, reported that fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems to reduce Iran's threat to commercial shipping and civilian crews.

The escalation comes after President Donald Trump reinstated the blockade of Iranian shipping around the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026. The US initially imposed the blockade in mid-April, lifted it in mid-June following an interim deal for nuclear negotiations, but talks have since stalled amid intensified conflict over the strait.

According to local media, the IRGC stated its attacks were a reaction to American military actions and attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC also warned that if Washington continues to attempt to block regional oil and gas exports by controlling maritime passages, it would shut down other energy lines serving US and partner interests, declaring that regional energy exports would be "for everyone or for no one."

Authorities in Jordan reported shooting down three incoming Iranian missiles, while the Kuwaiti army said it repelled Iranian "hostile" drone assaults with its air defenses. The Iranian army claimed it targeted US military facilities at Jordan's Azraq air base for a second time, asserting attacks on the three nations.

President Trump has threatened further actions, stating, "We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're gonna knock out their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate." Another statement indicated, "I'll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we'll hit energy targets."

The ongoing retaliatory strikes and attempts by both Iran and the US to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz—a critical waterway for a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade—raise concerns about the potential for a broader conflict in the Middle East.

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