The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it struck American military positions in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the US military targeting five coastal areas in southern Iran.
In a written statement, the Revolutionary Guard said it targeted eight US military positions at the Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The statement warned that any new attacks would be met with a "stronger and more determined" response.
According to Al Jazeera's Iran correspondent Rania Kasimi, the Revolutionary Guard also announced stricter measures against vessels that deviate from the routes designated by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and fail to coordinate with Tehran.
Fierce Reaction from Gulf Countries
Iran's attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain drew widespread condemnation from Gulf capitals. Gulf states described the strikes as a clear violation of their sovereignty and security, stressing that they undermine efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the region must be protected from "the consequences of unjust attacks" and called for continuing on the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The statement highlighted the importance of preserving the gains achieved under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding for regional and international security.
Alternate Route Tension in the Strait of Hormuz
Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman's announcement, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization, of creating a temporary and free maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz sparked a new confrontation with Iran. The Revolutionary Guard's Navy said that "some parties" had declared a new route without informing Tehran, emphasizing that safe passage through the strait is only possible along the route designated by Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking in Baghdad, said, "The Strait of Hormuz is under Iran's control, and after the obstacles are removed, things will return to normal."
Analysts: Iran Trying to Establish New Equations
Dr. Khalid al-Jaber, Director General of the Middle East International Relations Council, told Al Jazeera that Iran has launched over 7,400 missile and drone attacks targeting regional countries. Al-Jaber said the latest attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain are "a condemnable, clear violation of state sovereignty and a direct threat to the investment and development system."
Al-Jaber described Iran's attempts to obstruct maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz as an effort to sabotage the "alternative sea route" initiated by Oman. Accusing Iran of using the strait as a "blackmail tool," Al-Jaber warned that if the concerns of regional countries are ignored in negotiations in Geneva and Switzerland, the region could face "all-out war and devastating miscalculations."
Dr. Saleh al-Mutairi, head of the Al-Medar Center for Political Studies, said Iran is trying to establish a series of new equations. According to al-Mutairi, the first equation is that the Strait of Hormuz is a card in Iran's hands that it can use at any time; the second is that any attack on Iran will be met by striking Gulf countries or closing the strait. Al-Mutairi said this aims to prove Iran's dominance in the region.
Al-Mutairi noted that Gulf countries have been trying to de-escalate tensions since the first day of the war, highlighting the major role of Qatar and Pakistan in the memorandum of understanding reached between Tehran and Washington. However, the fragility of the situation on the ground shows that the real guarantee of navigational safety is "behavior on the ground," said al-Mutairi, describing Iran's stance as "undisciplined."
Al-Mutairi also alleged that Tehran is exploiting the fifth article of the memorandum of understanding related to safe passage to impose mandatory sea routes and disable international electronic tracking systems. In his view, Iran aims to turn the Strait of Hormuz into a hostage and a political blackmail card it can activate in any nuclear crisis.
Al Jazeera's Tehran correspondent reported that Iran's military has emphasized its desire to use control over the Strait of Hormuz not for financial gain but as a strategic deterrent tool in negotiations with Washington.
Despite the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran on June 17 and negotiations aimed at ending the war and ensuring navigational safety in the Strait of Hormuz, military friction between the two countries has escalated again in the Strait of Hormuz.
