Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks targeting United States military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, describing the operation as retaliation for recent US airstrikes on Iranian targets.

The development marks a significant escalation in tensions across the Gulf, occurring just hours after Washington launched a fresh wave of military operations against Iran following alleged attacks on commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the IRGC, the coordinated operation targeted key US military facilities, including the Fifth Naval District in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

Iran also claimed its forces shot down a US MQ-9 drone during the operation, although the assertion had not been independently verified at the time of reporting.

Air raid sirens reportedly sounded across Bahrain and Kuwait as authorities responded to the attacks.

The Kuwaiti military confirmed that its air defence systems had been activated to intercept what it described as hostile missile and drone threats.

Authorities in Bahrain also acknowledged the activation of defensive measures in response to the reported attacks.

The latest confrontation follows Washington’s decision to intensify military operations against Iran and revoke a licence that previously allowed Tehran to export oil.

US officials said the latest action was prompted by attacks on three commercial tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes.

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The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said its latest military operation targeted more than 60 boats belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

In a statement, CENTCOM described the alleged Iranian actions as a serious breach of the existing ceasefire arrangement.

“The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation,” the command stated.

The latest exchange represents another setback to the fragile truce that had temporarily reduced hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

The ceasefire was expected to create a 60-day period for indirect negotiations aimed at reaching a broader agreement, but recent talks held in Qatar reportedly ended without any major breakthrough.

The renewed military confrontation has also unsettled global energy markets, with oil prices climbing as traders assessed the implications for international crude supplies.

Brent crude futures rose by more than two per cent to around $70.28 per barrel as concerns mounted over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

The United States has maintained that its latest military action was intended to protect commercial shipping and preserve freedom of navigation, while Iran insists it retains the right to regulate activities within the strategic waterway.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned that negotiations on a permanent agreement would not resume as long as military threats continued, highlighting the increasingly uncertain prospects for diplomatic efforts amid the escalating conflict.

The latest developments have heightened fears of broader instability in the Gulf, with governments and global markets closely monitoring the rapidly evolving security situation.