Iran expands retaliation across Gulf after fresh US strikes on military sites

Iran launched a fresh wave of attacks on US allies in the Gulf on Saturday, hours after the United States carried out a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets.

The latest exchanges have further escalated the conflict, which has intensified since last week's collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire.

Kuwait was among the worst-affected countries, with authorities reporting attacks on key infrastructure, including a water desalination plant. Operations at Kuwait International Airport were also suspended temporarily due to repeated missile and drone threats, highlighting the growing impact of the conflict on civilian infrastructure across the Gulf.

The latest escalation came as both Washington and Tehran continued to target military assets while accusing each other of widening the conflict. The United Nations has expressed concern over increasing attacks on civilian infrastructure, warning that the conflict risks causing greater humanitarian and regional instability.

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Iran claims attacks on US military sites

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted several US military facilities across the region. According to the IRGC, missiles and drones struck Camp Arifjan, a US military support centre in Kuwait, and destroyed a radar facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Iranian state media also reported attacks on Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, where US combat aircraft are stationed, as well as an intelligence data centre. The IRGC further claimed it destroyed at least two American fighter jets and damaged three others during a missile and drone strike on the US military's Al Azraq airbase in Jordan.

In a statement, the IRGC warned that as long as US military operations continue, American allies in the region should expect further attacks.

US continues military campaign

The US military's Central Command said it completed its seventh straight day of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure. According to the command, the latest operation targeted surveillance systems, logistics facilities, underground weapons storage sites and maritime capabilities.

The continued military operations come after President Donald Trump warned that the United States could expand its campaign against Iran if attacks on American forces and allies continue. US officials have also said operations in southern Iran are intended to increase Washington's military options if the conflict escalates further.

Civilian infrastructure increasingly affected

As fighting intensifies, both sides have accused each other of striking civilian infrastructure.

Iranian media reported that US strikes hit power facilities and desalination pumps in the southern city of Jask, leaving nearly 10,000 people across 20 villages without access to water. Separately, Iranian officials said attacks in Hormozgan province damaged bridges, a road tunnel and transport infrastructure, while several civilians were reportedly killed and injured.

Kuwait's Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry confirmed that one of the country's power generation and desalination facilities was hit in an Iranian attack. It marked the second reported strike on Kuwaiti desalination infrastructure in two days.

Oil prices rise as regional tensions deepen

The widening conflict has renewed concerns over global energy supplies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

On Friday, the United States said it was enforcing a naval blockade, while Iran claimed it had targeted vessels that violated its navigation rules in the strategic waterway. The uncertainty pushed global oil prices up by more than four per cent to their highest level in over a month.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced concern over the growing attacks on civilian infrastructure across Iran and the wider Gulf region, warning that continued escalation could have serious humanitarian and economic consequences well beyond West Asia.