Iran Attacks Kuwait and Bahrain as US Strikes Enter Fourth Day and Ceasefire Collapses
Iran launched coordinated ballistic missile and drone attacks on American military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday, June 28, responding to a fourth consecutive day of U.S. strikes against Iranian targets along the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes — confirmed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — struck the U.S. Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the U.S. Fifth Naval Fleet headquarters at Port Salman in Bahrain, according to IRGC statements cited by regional media. The escalation further frayed an interim ceasefire agreement reached in Switzerland less than two weeks ago and pushed the two countries toward their most dangerous confrontation since hostilities began earlier this year.
Ceasefire Collapses as Both Sides Resume Full Military Operations
The IRGC said its attacks were a direct response to American strikes launched Saturday against Iranian military infrastructure on Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh, and Qeshm Island — all sites along or near the Persian Gulf chokepoint. Those strikes, announced by U.S. Central Command, were themselves retaliation for an Iranian drone attack on the Kiku, a Panama-flagged oil tanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude. CENTCOM said the tanker was hit as it transited near the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday, damaging the bridge though all crew were reported safe.
“We are seeing a pattern,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar Atas, reporting from Tehran. “Since the memorandum of understanding was signed in Switzerland last week, this is the second time these two parties are engaging militarily.” The IRGC subsequently declared that violations of the ceasefire had resulted in “the complete halt of all diplomatic processes,” according to Iranian state media.
Bahrain condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and a blow to regional stability. “These attacks undermine opportunities for de-escalation and stability in the region,” the Bahraini Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Kuwait described the strikes as “repeated heinous Iranian aggressions” and a “flagrant violation of its sovereignty.” Qatar also condemned the attacks and called for the region to be spared further consequences.
Trump Issues Ultimatum: The Islamic Republic Will No Longer Exist
President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric to an explicit existential threat against the Iranian state. Writing on social media, Trump warned that the U.S. had been patient but could be pushed past a limit. “There may come a point where we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started,” he wrote. “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” The post marked the second time in as many days Trump has suggested the complete destruction of Iran’s government.
The attacks on commercial shipping have revived concerns about global oil supply. Lloyd’s Market Association has placed the Strait of Hormuz under active review for war risk designations, a move that could force insurance premiums so high that commercial traffic halts regardless of government directives. The strait handles roughly 20 to 25 percent of the world’s daily oil consumption, and any prolonged disruption would ripple through global markets.
Israel Expands Operations as Lebanon Ceasefire Falters
Meanwhile, Israel launched strikes in Lebanon on Sunday, saying it had killed Hezbollah militants preparing rocket attacks and struck a rocket launcher. Lebanon and Israel — neither a party to the U.S.-Iran agreement — have cycled through multiple U.S.-brokered ceasefires with limited success. Israel has refused to withdraw from Lebanese territory it has seized, and Hezbollah has rejected demands to disarm. The new Israeli strikes came days after the latest agreed ceasefire between the two sides.
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has remained the central flashpoint. The Joint Maritime Information Center raised its security threat level following the tanker attacks, and Britain’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a second vessel was struck by a projectile on Saturday, damaging its bridge. The targeting of merchant vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil through one of the world’s most critical waterways has drawn condemnation from shipping industry groups and raised alarm in European capitals.
Diplomatic Channels Fall Silent as Military Actions Dominate
Negotiators who worked on the Switzerland agreement said the diplomatic window had narrowed sharply. Both Washington and Tehran face domestic political pressures that limit flexibility: Trump faces a base that demands aggressive action against Iran, while Iranian hardliners have argued the ceasefire was a capitulation to American pressure. “For the United States, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is extremely important — for global stability, for the price of oil, and to diminish rising tensions in Gulf countries,” correspondent Atas said. “For Iran, the strait is almost its only leverage. If it allows that to be bypassed, it significantly weakens its hand at the negotiating table.”
Qatar, which has served as a back-channel mediator between the U.S. and Iran, has declined to comment publicly on the latest round of strikes. European Union officials called for an emergency session of senior diplomats, though no timeline for renewed talks has been announced. Pentagon officials said Sunday that the U.S. military was repositioning assets in the Gulf but declined to specify what additional capabilities were being moved into the region. For now, both sides appear locked in a cycle of retaliation with no clear exit.
