At 02:17 GMT, a US drone buzzed over Iraq’s Erbil‑Bakr‑Soran corridor, its flares puncturing the night sky before an explosive blast ripped a fuel depot in Kuwait.
The blast, precisely timed, left a 15‑metre crater near the Shuaiba refinery, a key node supplying Europe’s petro‑markets.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced minutes later that it had launched “retaliatory” missile and drone attacks on US‑linked infrastructure in Kuwait and Bahrain, citing a US strike on multiple sites inside Iran earlier that day.
What triggered the latest US Iran strikes?
The US Central Command confirmed airstrikes on “strategic facilities” in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan‑Baluchestan, saying the targets were linked to groups it labels terrorist.
It did not disclose casualty figures, but satellite imagery released by the Pentagon shows smoke rising from two installations near Zahedan.
Why does this matter?
Both attacks hit oil‑rich chokepoints. A shutdown at Kuwait’s Shuaiba refinery could shave 1‑2 % off global crude supplies, nudging gasoline prices upward for commuters in Europe and the US.
Moreover, the exchange threatens to destabilise the already‑tense Gulf region, where US naval vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz daily.
Consumers may feel the ripple at the pump, while investors watch the economy and markets for sudden swings in energy futures.
Who is responsible for the strikes?
Iran’s armed forces released a short video showing a cluster of drones taking off from a base near Ahvaz, then striking a facility in Bahrain’s capital, Manama.
The US, however, offered no comment on the Bahrain claim, reiterating only that “any attack on US personnel or interests will be met with a decisive response.”
Both sides accuse the other of violating a cease‑fire brokered by the United Nations after a 2023 naval incident.
What happens next?
Diplomats in New York warn that an escalation could draw in allies on both sides, from Saudi Arabia to Israel.
UN Secretary‑General António Guterres issued a statement urging restraint, but no concrete verification mission has been deployed.
Analysts say the next 48 hours will be pivotal: either a de‑escalation through back‑channel talks or a spiral into broader conflict.
Stay tuned as the US Iran strikes saga unfolds and assess how it may impact your energy bills and regional security outlook.