The United States launched a new series of attacks on Iran on Sunday night, targeting dozens of military targets in the center and south of the country. Shortly after, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have hit American military bases and infrastructure in Bahrain and Kuwait. Sirens were activated again in Bahrain, and authorities asked residents to take shelter.
Authorities in Bahrain have not reported any damage yet, and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not confirmed the attack.
The American operation lasted for several hours and comes just a day after the bombings in which Washington announced hitting approximately 140 Iranian military targets.
CENTCOM: Dozens of military targets have been hit
CENTCOM announced that American forces used precision munitions to hit dozens of military targets in multiple areas of Iran, including anti-aircraft defense systems, radars, missile launch capabilities, drones, as well as fast boats of the Iranian forces.
The attack involved fighter jets, naval vessels, attack drones, and unmanned naval attack drones.
Washington claims that the objective of the operation is to reduce Iran's capacity to attack commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran claims attacks on American bases in Bahrain and Kuwait
Several hours after the new American bombings, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had attacked American military infrastructure in Bahrain and Kuwait.
According to the semi-official Fars news agency, the IRGC claims to have hit the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, targeting helicopter maintenance facilities, a hangar housing a P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft, and the drone command center.
At the same time, the Revolutionary Guards state that they destroyed fuel tanks and Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems at the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait and damaged a radar system at the Ahmad Al Jaber base. Bahrain activated sirens and asked residents to take shelter.
The Kuwaiti armed forces announced on Monday that they had intervened against "hostile aerial targets" while Iran was carrying out attacks on American interests in the Gulf. However, Kuwaiti authorities have not confirmed that the Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al Jaber bases were hit, nor the damages claimed by the Revolutionary Guards.
First victims and new explosions in southern Iran
The Iranian state media reported that the American attacks targeted several towns in the Khuzestan and Hormozgan provinces.
A security guard was killed, and four other people were injured after a projectile hit a water pumping station in Mahshahr, in the Khuzestan province. Additionally, explosions were reported near the cities of Ahvaz, Khorramshahr, and Hoveyzeh.
Iranian authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage.
Bahrain sends its population back to shelters
Tensions have been felt in the Gulf states.
For the second consecutive day, Bahrain's Ministry of Interior activated the alarm sirens and asked residents to take shelter in the nearest safe place.
This measure was taken amid fears of new Iranian attacks on American bases in the region.
Tehran declares diplomatic efforts futile. Trump: "We hit them hard"
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that the new American attacks have rendered all diplomatic efforts of the past months to reduce tensions and restore peace in the region futile.
Tehran also accuses the United States of bringing insecurity back to the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting international commercial traffic. According to Iranian diplomacy, the talks held on Saturday with Oman did not yield results due to American pressures on the authorities in Muscat.
However, Donald Trump adopted a triumphant tone. When asked about the weekend bombings, the American president declared, "We hit them hard."
Oil prices rise
The escalation of the conflict has also impacted energy markets.
The price of Brent crude oil rose by nearly 4%, and the American oil benchmark increased by over 3%, amid fears that the battles around the Strait of Hormuz could affect global oil supply.
Analysts cited by CNN state, however, that the market's reaction remains moderate, with investors relying on President Donald Trump's statements, who repeatedly affirmed his desire to keep the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz open.