Mideast tense as US, Iran trade fresh strikes

The situation in the Middle East remained tense after the United States and Iran exchanged strikes for the second day, with Tehran announcing the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire and demanded "no more excuses" in a post on social media platform X on Thursday, noting that the region "is being pulled deeper into crisis".

Guterres also underscored that the "restrictions on navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz" are causing hardship and instability across the world.

The Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked several US bases and facilities across the region, Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday.

"During two waves of operations, the brave warriors of the Aerospace Force and the heroes of the IRGC Navy, in the early hours of this morning (Thursday), struck and destroyed 18 important targets belonging to the evil US army in Bahrain and Kuwait," the IRGC was quoted as saying.

The IRGC is also said to have launched a drone attack on the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. "In this wave of military drone attacks, the communications antennas and radar installations of the Fifth Fleet's Patriot system were targeted," Xinhua News Agency cited a Mehr News Agency report as saying.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, including oil tankers and commercial vessels, citing insecurity caused by US strikes on southern Iran, according to Mehr.

Bahrain and Kuwait's air defense forces intercepted missiles and drones, with Kuwait announcing a temporary closure of its airspace after Iranian attacks as a precautionary measure.

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior said in a post on X that as a result of the "Iranian aggression against Bahrain", an 11-year-old girl sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Vehicles caught fire and houses were damaged in Hamad Town and Manama "due to falling debris from drones interception", the ministry said, adding that civil defense and national ambulance officials have taken necessary measures.

In a statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Iran's fresh strikes against Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait as a "blatant violation of the sovereignty of these countries".

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses the need to spare the region the repercussions of these unjustified attacks and to work toward de-escalation in order to restore regional and international security and stability," the ministry said.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, in a statement published on Thursday, condemned "the repeated treacherous Iranian attacks" on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, and affirmed the GCC's support for all measures taken by the affected Arab countries "to enhance their security, preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity".

The US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said it had completed additional self-defense strikes against multiple targets in Iran on Wednesday.

"CENTCOM forces launched strikes on Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defense sites across Iran," it said, adding that US Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy assets fired precision munitions on Iranian targets that posed a threat to US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters.

US President Donald Trump said in a social media post that Iran "has taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them", and now "they will have to pay the price".

"Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!" Trump posted, adding that Iran "is doing zero business", not paying for their military or "any of their bills", and that it was quickly "becoming a failed nation".

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com