Iran Unleashes Sweeping Gulf Missile Strikes as US-Iran War Dramatically Escalates

A Region Under Fire

The Middle East woke to the sounds of explosions and air-raid sirens on Sunday, July 12, as Iran launched one of the most expansive military strikes of the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Iran unleashed waves of major, simultaneous missile and drone attacks across the Gulf, targeting Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait, and claiming further attacks in Jordan and Oman — all following a new round of US airstrikes in Iran, which were themselves triggered by an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday night. The scale and breadth of the assault marked a dangerous new chapter in a war that has been escalating for months.

Multiple loud booms shook Doha in two waves of Iranian attacks early Sunday, as Qatar's air defence intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missiles above the capital. Residents received emergency alerts on their mobile phones instructing them to remain indoors. Missile warning sirens also sounded across Bahrain, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, while the United Arab Emirates issued public warnings of an incoming missile and drone attack.

US Bases in the Crosshairs

Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) announced in a statement during the attacks that it targeted the Al-Udeid US airbase in Qatar and claimed that it destroyed a command and control center as well as an aircraft maintenance facility. Qatar, however, announced that it intercepted the incoming missiles targeting the largest US airbase in the region. Iran's reach extended further than just Qatar: Iran also claimed it attacked the Prince Hassan airbase in Jordan, destroying a number of facilities, and that it also hit Oman's Duqm port, which is used by the US Navy.

The Middle East edged closer to wider regional conflict after the US launched a wave of large-scale strikes on Iran, targeting around 140 military sites in retaliation for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Kuwait intercepted four missiles and 10 drones, while Jordan's military said it shot down eight missiles fired toward its territory. The sheer number of countries simultaneously under attack underscored how rapidly this conflict has spilled beyond its two principal combatants.

Trump's Assassination Warning and the Strait of Hormuz

The strikes came just hours after President Trump issued one of his most explosive threats yet. Trump sent a stark warning to Tehran, saying the United States would "completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran" should there be an assassination attempt against him. The Wall Street Journal and other US media reported earlier this week that Israel had shared intelligence about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. The president's warning was not merely rhetorical — Trump reiterated that 1,000 missiles and "thousands more" to follow are ready to hit Iran over the course of at least one year if it assassinates him or attempts to do so.

At the heart of the conflict lies a strategic chokepoint with global consequences. The exchange of fire came amid a continued dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas transit chokepoint that has been at the center of tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran effectively closed the waterway after the war began in February, sparking chaos in energy markets and prompting further US military action. An adviser to Iran's supreme leader vowed to protect the vital waterway, saying "This strategic passage is more important than dozens of atomic bombs, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it."

Condemnation and a Fragile Diplomatic Thread

The renewed attacks prompted widespread condemnation from Gulf and Arab governments. Saudi Arabia condemned what it called repeated Iranian violations of the sovereignty of neighboring states and warned that the attacks threatened regional security, while the UAE, Qatar, and Egypt also condemned the strikes and renewed calls for restraint. Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held separate talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, urging all sides to recommit to diplomacy.

Yet diplomacy remains on life support. Trump said earlier on Friday that the United States and Iran have agreed to continue peace talks, even though the ceasefire established by last month's preliminary deal has been scrapped, claiming that the Islamic Republic "has asked us to continue 'talks'" and that "we have agreed to do so." Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have largely stalled, with both sides hardening their positions — Iran consistently denying assassination plots while accusing the US of aggression, and the Trump administration maintaining a confrontational stance. With Iran now striking across six nations simultaneously and the Strait of Hormuz still a flashpoint, the path to de-escalation has never looked narrower.