The United States and Iran exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes over the weekend and into Monday, widening the conflict across the Gulf as Tehran targeted U.S. military facilities in several countries and maintained restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices sharply higher.
The latest escalation has raised doubts about the survival of an interim U.S. Iran agreement reached last month that aimed to restore commercial shipping through the strategic waterway and create conditions for further negotiations.
Iran targets US military facilities across Gulf
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they launched attacks on U.S. military infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan in retaliation for recent American strikes on Iranian territory.
According to the Guards, the attacks targeted U.S. military facilities, including radar installations, fuel storage tanks, ammunition depots and support infrastructure linked to regional bases.
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The U.S. military said it responded by striking Iranian air defence systems, coastal radar installations, missile and drone capabilities, naval assets and small boats using aircraft, naval vessels and drones.
The exchanges marked one of the broadest rounds of attacks since the conflict began, expanding the geographic scope of military operations across the Gulf.
Trump says ceasefire is effectively over
Speaking briefly to Reuters on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said of the military campaign against Iran, “We’re beating them up.”
Trump has previously indicated he considers the interim ceasefire effectively over while leaving open the possibility of future diplomatic talks.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also adopted a defiant tone, writing on social media that “The era of one sided deals is over,” warning Washington that Iran would respond if commitments were not honored.
The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, has spread beyond Iran’s borders, with attacks now affecting multiple Gulf states. Thousands of people have reportedly been killed, most of them in Iran and Lebanon.
Strait of Hormuz remains at center of crisis
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the conflict’s main flashpoints.
Iran said regular commercial shipping would only fully resume after U.S. military operations in the area ended and warned that continued intervention could trigger further disruptions to global oil and gas markets.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was seeking to establish a joint mechanism with Oman to manage maritime traffic through the waterway, although he accused Washington of obstructing those efforts.
Iran has also proposed introducing a permit and fee system for vessels using the strait, which before the conflict handled roughly one fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
The United States rejected Iran’s position, insisting freedom of navigation would continue and saying American forces remained deployed to protect commercial shipping.
U.S. officials said approximately 20 vessels had been escorted safely through the strait during the previous 24 hours, although commercial ship tracking data indicated overall traffic remained significantly below normal levels.
Oil prices climb on supply fears
Brent crude oil rose more than 3 percent on Monday as investors reacted to continued uncertainty over shipping through the world’s most important energy corridor.
Although prices remain below the highs reached earlier in the conflict, the renewed increase has revived concerns about inflation, fuel costs and global economic growth.
Higher gasoline prices also present a political challenge for the Trump administration ahead of November’s congressional elections.
Military campaign intensifies
U.S. Central Command said American forces struck 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday alone and more than 300 targets over the previous three nights. The stated objective was to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and regional security.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had destroyed command centers, drone facilities, radar sites, rocket launchers and logistical infrastructure supporting U.S. operations across Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
Both sides continue to signal their willingness to escalate military operations while leaving limited room for diplomacy.
Why it matters
The widening conflict is transforming the Gulf into a broader regional battlefield while placing global energy markets under renewed pressure. Any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect oil and liquefied natural gas exports, raising transportation costs, fueling inflation and increasing risks for the global economy.
Future outlook
Markets and governments will closely watch whether shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal or faces further disruption. Diplomatic efforts appear increasingly fragile as both Washington and Tehran intensify military operations, raising the risk that the conflict could expand further and draw more regional actors into the crisis.
With information from Reuters.
