IRAN ATTACKS JORDAN, GULF STATES AFTER US BOMBARDMENT

Sun 12 July 2026:

Iran claims attacks on Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman as the United Arab Emirates also reports intercepting Iranian missiles and suicide drones.

The US military says it struck more than 140 targets in Iran with explosions reported in the southern port cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Bandar-e Deyr, Jask and Asaluyeh

The hostilities come after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared the Strait of Hormuz temporarily closed and said it fired a warning shot at a ship attempting to transit through what it called an unapproved route.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei pledges to avenge the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, by the US and Israel saying “revenge is the will of our nation”.

Third round of strikes against Iran

The US said late Saturday it completed a third round of military strikes against Iran this week following another Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces struck about 140 Iranian military targets using precision-guided munitions launched from land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels.

The targets included missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks and coastal surveillance positions, it said.

“During three nights of strikes this week, CENTCOM has struck more than 300 targets at the direction of the Commander in Chief to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

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It said commercial shipping continues to move through the Strait of Hormuz despite the military operations.

Since early May, US forces have helped facilitate the transit of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying 400 million barrels of crude oil through the strategic waterway, according to CENTCOM.

The latest strikes followed an attack that the US said was carried out by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against the commercial cargo ship M/V GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington said the vessel was hit by a missile, leaving one civilian crew member missing and causing significant damage. The IRGC said, however, that it fired only a “warning shot” after the ship failed to alter course. Iran later announced the closure of the strategic waterway “until further notice,” as diplomatic efforts in Muscat to ease tensions failed to produce an agreement.

Gulf countries say they are not party to US war on Iran

By Aksel Zaimovic reporting from Doha, Qatar

What we know so far is that emergency alerts have sounded across several countries across the region.

Here in Qatar, particularly in the past hour, we heard another alert, urging people to stay indoors and to stay away from windows and open spaces. And from this vantage point, what we could actually see is a trail of smoke and something that appears to be interceptor missiles crossing over the sky, followed by a loud explosion here.

But at this stage there is no clear confirmation about what exactly was targeted. And at this stage, we don’t know whether it was a cruise missile or a ballistic missile or even drones.

The United Arab Emirates also says they were dealing with a number of drones and missiles, and in Bahrain, we’re getting similar reports, and officials are telling people to stay indoors while these intercepting activities are under way.

This is a pattern we’ve seen in previous escalations.

Iran has repeatedly accused GCC countries, saying that they are actively supporting American military operations here by hosting US military bases, also allowing them to use their airspace.

But these states say they are not party to this war; they are not party to any conflict, and they are trying to explain [US bases] are part of bilateral agreements with the US, trying to secure their defence activities here.

Threat level in Strait of Hormuz deemed ‘severe’ by UKMTO

The maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains at the highest degree of danger, classified as “severe”, says the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

“Despite the July 12, 2026 Iranian proclamation that the [Strait of Hormuz] is closed, the southern route remains available and has now been expanded to accommodate two-way traffic,” it said.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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