US completes another round of strikes on Iran as it targets Gulf states

The US has completed another round of strikes on Iran, its Central Command announced on Sunday, with Iran retaliating as Kuwait responds to attacks within its airspace while Bahrain activates its sirens.

In a post on social media platform X, the forces shared that they hit dozens of targets at several locations in Iran to "degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz". 

They added that they struck Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats. 

"The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade. Iran does not control it," the forces noted. 

https://t.co/V84pTWxDwH

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026

"The Commander in Chief has directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable," the US command force earlier shared on X.

At 5 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Commander in Chief has directed the strikes to hold Iranian…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 12, 2026

US Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins told CNN that US aircraft shot down an Iranian cruise missile and a one-way attack drone.

In a brief phone interview with Reuters on Sunday afternoon, US President Donald Trump referred to the weekend's strikes on Iran. "We're beating them up," he said.

Kuwait's armed forces announced that they are confronting hostile aerial targets within their airspace, with the public urged to adhere to the country's safety instructions. 

Jordanian military forces announced that they intercepted four Iranian missiles early on Monday, while Bahrain's Ministry of Interior stated that sirens were activated across the country.

Iran had targeted several Gulf states, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, alongside Jordan, in retaliation for the US's attacks. 

The war that the US and Israel launched against Iran on February 28 has destabilised the Gulf, where Iran has struck countries hosting US bases. Iran's effective blockade of the strait has driven energy prices higher and fuelled global inflation.

Higher prices, especially for gasoline, are politically sensitive for Trump ahead of November's congressional elections.