Hostilities between Iran and the United States escalated sharply on Wednesday as Tehran launched missile strikes on Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, targeting key infrastructure in US‑aligned Gulf nations. The attacks came hours after Washington expanded its bombing campaign inside Iran, hitting bridges, ports and energy facilities in what analysts describe as the most significant shift in the conflict so far.
Iran’s strikes damaged a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait, a critical lifeline for the desert nation. In Qatar, which has acted as a mediator throughout the crisis, missiles struck strategic sites, signalling Tehran’s frustration with Doha’s cooperation with Washington. Bahrain also reported impacts on sensitive areas, though details remain limited.
Tehran said the attacks were retaliation for the US conducting its sixth consecutive day of air raids, targeting transport links, logistics hubs and power infrastructure in Hormozgan province and southern Iran. American strikes reportedly hit bridges connecting Bandar Abbas, one of Iran’s most important commercial ports, to the rest of the country. Iranian authorities acknowledged casualties and urged residents to reduce electricity consumption due to damage to the grid.
The US also targeted a port facility on the Gulf of Oman, where a tower overseeing commercial maritime traffic collapsed following the strikes. The port is strategically vital for regional shipping and energy exports.
The latest exchange marks a dangerous escalation, with both sides now hitting critical infrastructure rather than purely military assets — a shift that could have far‑reaching economic and security consequences across the Gulf.