Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace on Thursday following US strikes on Iran, intercepting what it described as ‘hostile aerial targets’ in response to what it called ‘Iranian aggressions’. The closure lasted several hours before Kuwait reopened its airspace, as the wider Middle East absorbed the consequences of a rapidly escalating military confrontation.
Iran, in response to the US strikes, said it had targeted air bases in the region. According to Tasnim news agency, Iran’s state-run outlet, Iranian forces ‘struck and destroyed eighteen important targets’ belonging to US forces at Kuwait’s Ali Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber air bases, as well as the Sheikh Issa air base in Bahrain.
Bahrain and Israel Also in the Firing Line
Bahrain confirmed it had come under fire. The media adviser to Bahrain’s king said the country’s air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed what he described as ‘Iranian aerial attacks’. Earlier in the day, Bahrain’s interior ministry had urged civilians to move to a safe place.
Israel’s Home Front Command issued warnings of launches from Lebanon toward several communities in northern Israel, adding a further front to an already combustible situation. President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News, said the Israelis were not involved in the US strikes on Iran, but left the door open for further military action.
Trump said he had spoken directly with Iranian officials, who he said asked him to stop the strikes, and indicated the bombing would stop shortly. When asked whether a ceasefire was over, Trump reportedly said it was the most violated ceasefire in history.
US Strikes on Iran: What Centcom Said
US Central Command said the strikes were completed at 9:04 p.m. ET Wednesday, targeting Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defence sites. Centcom said US forces fired on Iranian targets that ‘posed a threat to U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters’. The escalation followed what the US described as Iran’s ‘unwarranted and continued aggression’, including the earlier downing of a US Army Apache helicopter, for which Iran has not directly claimed responsibility.
Trump had signalled the offensive publicly before it began. ‘We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them hard again today,’ he said at a White House signing event for the Secure America Act. He called on Iran to ‘sign the deal’, saying the US wanted an agreement ‘that’s meaningful and works.’ Iran’s parliament security commission head, Ebrahim Azizi, responded by writing on X that ‘this time, the war won’t be limited to the region.’
The Strait of Hormuz and the Risk to Global Shipping
One of the most consequential developments concerns the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. Iranian state media reported that Iran targeted US ships in the strait with missiles and drones. Reuters reported that Iran’s top military command had completely closed the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel attempting to cross would be targeted.
That threat has been building for some time. According to the Congressional Research Service, Iranian forces declared the strait closed starting on 4 March 2026, and have since threatened and carried out attacks on ships attempting to transit. The closure of the strait, through which a substantial share of global oil supply passes, has profound implications for energy markets worldwide.
Markets reacted sharply. US crude climbed nearly 2% to $89.72 per barrel, while Brent rose 1.3% to $92.74. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 600 points following Trump’s remarks. Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy, told CNBC earlier this week that oil could hit $150 per barrel within the next couple of months if the fighting in the Middle East continues, as inventories are now at very low levels.
Trump insisted the disruption would be temporary. ‘It’s a military operation,’ he said, repeating his assertion that oil prices will return to the levels they were at before the war began in February. ‘When it’s over, you will see oil drop to where it was before.’ Whether Tehran agrees to the deal Trump is pressing for will determine how quickly that prospect becomes a reality.
