US intelligence warned President Donald Trump that Iran could retaliate against Gulf allies, but Iran struck countries including Kuwait and Bahrain, widening the war. Trump said Washington was 'shocked'. Tensions have intensified around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US-Israel-Iran conflict has escalated as Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Gulf states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. US President Donald Trump said Washington was “shocked” after Iran began striking these countries, widening the war’s scope, despite US intelligence assessments warning of retaliation against American allies in the Gulf. Iranian strikes hit airports, ports, and oil facilities, disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply and has driven global energy prices sharply higher. A fresh explosion was heard in Qatar's capital Doha, Reuters reported, while Al Jazeera cited explosions in Tehran's Andarzgoo neighbourhood and an IRGC base in Kamraniyeh. US officials had warned Trump that Iran could attempt to close the strait. Gulf leaders view degrading Iran’s military capabilities as a long-term priority and urge the US not to halt operations prematurely. The US is pressing Gulf states for public backing. India's Navy is on high alert, escorting merchant vessels and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman to safeguard energy supplies. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “healthy and in charge”, ruled out talks, and warned that foreign troops on Iranian soil would be “illegal” and lead to a “quagmire”. Vice President JD Vance backed Trump’s strikes to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump defended the action, citing decades of Iranian problems, and noted close US-Israel military coordination.
