Conflict & Security
Iran expands attacks as Gulf states report interceptions
Iran increased attacks in the Middle East on Tuesday, two weeks after its war with the United States resumed. Bahrain sounded sirens after its military reported intercepting Iranian attacks, and Jordan said it intercepted two waves of Iranian drones and missiles.
Bahrain's interior ministry told citizens and residents to stay calm and move to the nearest safe place after the military reported the interceptions. Jordan's military said it first intercepted five Iranian drones and later three missiles. It said the strikes caused no casualties or damage.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed the first of the attacks and said they had targeted a complex housing US forces in the Rukban area. Iran's army had earlier said it targeted US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, including air defence systems, radar sites and administrative buildings. The Guards warned that more drone and missile attacks could follow.
The escalation came after the United States launched new strikes on Iran on Monday. Washington said those attacks were meant to weaken Iranian military capabilities used against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would pay many times over for every US soldier killed. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the conflict had become a full-scale war.
The Pentagon said Monday that nearly 100 US service members had been wounded since the war resumed on July 7, most of them with minor concussion. At least three US soldiers have died in recent days.
Iran's Yemeni allies, the Houthis, said they would blockade Saudi Arabia's ports. The threat could affect Saudi Arabia's ability to use routes outside the Strait of Hormuz for some oil exports. It was not clear how the Houthis would carry out such a blockade.
Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi announcement, calling the group a terrorist militia, and said it continued to support Yemen's internationally recognised government. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fire last week for the first time in years, putting pressure on a 2022 truce.
The wider Middle East war resumed after an April ceasefire and a June framework deal collapsed. Tehran then reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington again blockaded Iranian ports. Oil prices briefly rose to a one-month high on Monday before easing slightly early Tuesday. The strait carried about a fifth of world oil in peacetime, according to the report.
Saudi Arabia is still exporting millions of barrels of oil a day through its Red Sea port of Yanbu, although volumes are far below prewar levels. Oil markets have been concerned for months that the Houthis could again attack shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as they did during the Gaza war.
In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two tankers trying to pass through the waterway were hit by explosions and stopped by large fires. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said earlier that an unknown projectile had hit a tanker off Oman, and on Tuesday reported another projectile strike on a tanker off the Omani coast.
Despite the fighting, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said diplomatic exchanges with Washington through mediators were continuing. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni was in Islamabad for a two-day visit and was scheduled to meet Pakistan's prime minister and army chief, according to Pakistan's interior ministry. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was due to meet Trump in Washington on Tuesday as pressure increased for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, which Israel has set as a condition for withdrawing from south Lebanon.
Update
Bahrain sounded sirens after its military reported intercepting Iranian attacks.
Jordan's military said it intercepted five Iranian drones and then three missiles, with no casualties or damage reported.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two oil tankers trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz were hit by explosions and brought to a standstill.
UKMTO reported projectile strikes on tankers off Oman on Monday and Tuesday.
The Pentagon said nearly 100 US service members had been wounded since the war resumed on July 7, mostly with minor concussion.
Oil prices briefly reached a one-month high on Monday before easing slightly early Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi threat to blockade its ports.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 10:51:50 UTC.
Update
Jordan's military said it intercepted five Iranian drones, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed an attack targeting what they described as a complex housing US forces in Rukban.
The US State Department issued a worldwide caution alert urging US citizens to exercise increased caution because of the war with Iran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they stopped two non-compliant oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz after explosions caused extensive fires aboard them, according to IRNA.
The UK maritime agency said it received multiple reports that a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz near Limah, Oman.
The US military said it completed a new round of strikes against Iran targeting command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned that the Houthi threat against Saudi Arabia risked wider regional escalation.
Saudi Arabia condemned the Houthi announcement and said it continued to support Yemen's legitimate government.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 08:42:31 UTC.
Update
Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned of more drone and missile attacks after the reported strikes on US assets.
The United States said it launched new strikes late Monday to degrade Iranian military capabilities used against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Revolutionary Guards said two non-compliant oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz were hit by explosions and stopped.
UKMTO reported projectile strikes on tankers off Oman.
The Houthis threatened to blockade Saudi ports, and Saudi Arabia condemned the threat.
The Pentagon said nearly 100 US servicemembers had been wounded since July 7, most with minor concussions.
Oil prices briefly rose to a one-month high Monday before easing early Tuesday.
Iran said diplomatic exchanges with Washington through mediators were continuing.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 04:28:06 UTC.
Update
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck two air defence systems and a radar installation at two US outposts in Bahrain.
The Guards said they struck missile defence systems, radars and satellite reception systems in Kuwait.
The Guards warned in a statement carried by IRNA of more drone and missile attack waves.
The United States said it had struck Iranian military command centres, air defence systems and missile launch sites in overnight attacks.
Iran's army said it targeted three major US bases in Kuwait with kamikaze drones, including specific sites at Camp Arifjan, Camp Al Udairi and Ahmad Al Jaber Air Base.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 03:09:21 UTC.
Update
Iran's Revolutionary Guards were identified as saying the strikes hit two air defence systems and a radar installation at two different US outposts in Bahrain.
The Guards said they also struck missile defence systems, radars and satellite reception systems in Kuwait.
The Guards said in a statement carried by IRNA that the enemy should prepare for more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 02:12:56 UTC.
Update
Iran's Guards said they hit US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to state media.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 01:54:19 UTC.
Update
Iran's army said its ground forces targeted HIMARS missile systems at the Arifjan base in Kuwait.
IRNA reported the army statement, citing army public relations officials.
The army said surface-to-surface missiles were used.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the conflict had become a full-scale war.
Source note: AFP news report published on 20 July 2026 at 22:56:15 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
It is unclear how the Houthis would implement a blockade of Saudi Arabia's ports.
The full condition of the tankers reported hit off Oman is not detailed in the source.
Some battlefield and maritime details are reported by military or official parties and are not independently verified in the source.
Source
AFP news report published on .