Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed a US refuelling station at the port of Duqm in Oman on Sunday night, part of a wave of strikes targeting US naval supply lines across the Gulf. Tehran asserted the facility was used to refuel US aircraft carrier strike groups central to Washington’s bombing campaign against Iran.
The IRGC also said it hit US military bases in Qatar and Jordan. Air defence interceptions lit the sky above Doha as five states came under attack, drawing furious responses from regional capitals. Qatar called the strikes a “dangerous escalation”, while Oman condemned the assault on its territory just hours after talks with Iran aimed at reducing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. The Kuwaiti army reported a “hostile drone” attack on an offshore drilling platform injured an employee.
“Iran attacks US bases and closes Strait of Hormuz; oil jumps 4% to $79 a barrel.”
Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was closed “until further notice” and attacked two more commercial vessels in the waterway on Saturday. Asked to clarify its status, Donald Trump told NBC on Sunday the strait was “open” to commercial traffic but refused to discuss further. Later, the US military said it had begun a further wave of strikes against Iran, aiming to “continue degrading” Tehran’s ability to attack commercial ships. US Central Command said on X that the president “has directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable.”
In response, the IRGC said it struck US military targets and bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, state media reported on Monday, including Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. Iran condemned the latest US attacks on its territory, saying they had “rendered futile” diplomatic efforts. A foreign ministry statement blamed Washington for “the return of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and disruption of international commercial shipping.”
Oil prices jumped as the tit-for-tat strikes escalated, with benchmark Brent crude rising 4% to $79 a barrel. The confrontation marks the most extensive Iranian attacks on Arab states since an interim peace agreement last month, and with both sides claiming control over the vital waterway, the risk of further disruption to global energy supplies remains unresolved.
