Iran attacks five Gulf nations , shuts Hormuz after US bombing : All to know

What Happened

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched coordinated missile and drone attacks on US military bases and facilities in five Gulf states—Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan—on Sunday, while also declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice. The IRGC claimed it struck logistics and refuelling platforms at Duqm port in Oman, hit Al Udeid airbase in Qatar with ballistic missiles, targeted a Patriot air defence system and other US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, and destroyed a command centre and MQ-9 drone hangars at Prince Hassan airbase in Jordan. Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said it intercepted incoming fire, and its Ministry of Interior reported three wounded, including a child, from falling shrapnel. The attacks came after US Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted a third round of airstrikes on about 140 military targets in southern and western Iran, including missile and drone sites, over three nights in response to IRGC strikes on commercial vessels in the strait, including a Qatari LNG tanker. US President Donald Trump had earlier declared the ceasefire over, while Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf cited the US’s failure to honour a fragile memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The direct Iranian attacks on multiple Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states mark a dramatic expansion of the Iran-US conflict, risking a broader regional war and threatening the stability of key US allies. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz immediately endangers the global energy supply, as the waterway handles a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transit. The escalation tests the integrity of the US security umbrella over the Gulf and could draw host nations into active combat, while the collapse of the MoU erases a diplomatic off-ramp, leaving the conflict to spiral unpredictably.

Watch For

Monitor CENTCOM’s next military actions and whether the US escalates strikes deeper into Iranian territory or against IRGC assets abroad. Track the reopening status of the Strait of Hormuz, any further attacks on commercial shipping, and the response of major maritime powers. Watch for emergency sessions of the UN Security Council and reactions from GCC states, especially damage assessments and potential expulsion of US forces. Diplomatic channels, particularly Oman-mediated talks, may attempt to restore a ceasefire, while Iran’s internal political dynamics—including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s pledge to avenge his father’s killing—could signal continued hardline resolve.