Iran War Live Updates: Middle East war reignites? Iran threatens 'hard slap' after US strikes, targets 3 Gulf states

Iran War News: The United States launched fresh airstrikes on Iran early Thursday, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, further undermining an already fragile interim ceasefire aimed at ending the Persian Gulf war.

The latest escalation came hours after US President Donald Trump declared that Iran’s recent attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz had effectively ended the temporary truce. The US strikes followed Iran’s targeting of several merchant vessels off the coast of Oman, which Washington said threatened freedom of navigation through one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

Thursday’s exchanges marked the biggest flare-up since the ceasefire was announced. Air raid sirens sounded at least twice in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters, while Kuwait said its military was intercepting incoming missiles and drones. There were no immediate reports of damage in Bahrain, Kuwait or Qatar.

The U.S. military said the strikes were intended to “further degrade” Iran’s ability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that handled roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the conflict erupted on February 28.

Iranian state media reported explosions in multiple locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power complex, and the southern port cities of Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Sirik.

After leaving a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump shared videos on social media that he said showed explosions inside Iran and warned Tehran against any future attacks on shipping.

“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” he wrote.

Earlier in the day, Trump had suggested the military action would not become a prolonged campaign.

“Anything that happens is going to happen very fast,” he said, while adding that the US could also “just finish the job.”

He also renewed earlier threats to target Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including power stations and desalination plants, and to seize the country’s key oil-export hub at Kharg Island.

The latest US strikes followed attacks on three commercial tankers on Tuesday. Iran responded by targeting American military facilities across the Persian Gulf.

Iran has maintained that the interim ceasefire allows it to regulate traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf defended Tehran’s position in a post on X.

“America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit,” he wrote.

Trump’s remarks raised fresh doubts over the future of the ceasefire, saying the agreement was effectively “over,” even as he allowed diplomatic efforts to continue.