Mysterious, unclaimed airstrikes hit southern Iran on Thursday, just as the nation prepared to bury its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. These attacks occurred after the United States had announced the conclusion of its own military operations, raising questions about who else might be targeting the Islamic Republic.
The strikes impacted areas across Iran’s Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, as well as the cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar, according to reports from Iranian news outlets and state media. While Iran’s theocracy has not directly blamed any specific entity, a prominent lawmaker issued a warning to the United Arab Emirates regarding alleged support for the U.S. campaign.
Earlier on Thursday, around 6:30 a.m. local Iran time, the U.S. military’s Central Command stated it had concluded a round of strikes that hit 90 targets. Central Command did not respond to requests for comment concerning the additional, unclaimed strikes reported by Iran.
In response to the Thursday airstrikes, Iran launched a wider volley of attacks across the Mideast, targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar. Missile alert sirens blared in these four countries, prompting residents to seek shelter. One person was reportedly injured in Kuwait as air defense systems engaged incoming fire across the region.
Following the Iranian attacks, UAE leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan immediately traveled to Kuwait for a meeting with the small, oil-rich nation’s ruling emir. Gulf Arab countries also held discussions with Qatar’s foreign minister, who, alongside Pakistan, has been actively mediating talks between Iran and the U.S.
The attacks unfold amidst persistent tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy markets. Gulf Arab states and the U.S. maintain that the strait must remain open and free for ship transit. However, Iran insists on sole control, demanding that vessels pay fees to Tehran, despite its long-standing international recognition as an international waterway. Iran’s previous grip on the strait during the conflict, which began on February 28, led to a global energy crisis, although oil prices have since sharply dropped from wartime highs of $120 a barrel.
Israel, a participant in the Iran war, has not claimed responsibility for any recent attacks on Iran since June, typically claiming its strikes immediately. On Thursday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke with U.S. President Trump, who updated Netanyahu “on American moves in the Gulf.” Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz renewed threats, stating the military “is on alert and ready to renew the campaign, to reestablish aerial superiority, and to carry out a blue-white (Israeli) strike in Iran to remove threats, even for a third time.” Katz added, “If we will have to return, we will return with even greater force.”
On Friday, Iranian state media quoted Esmail Kousari, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee and a former Revolutionary Guard commander, warning the UAE would “pay the price for its cooperation with the United States.” He accused the Emirates of a “behind-the-scenes” role in recent U.S. attacks. Iran has repeatedly accused Gulf Arab states of supporting the U.S. war effort, claims they denied during the conflict. The U.S. has maintained a significant military presence across Gulf Arab states, including Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, since the 1991 Gulf War.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to advise mariners to use a southern route through Oman’s territorial waters to avoid Iran. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy, issued a new advisory on Friday, urging ships to use this route. A similar message on Tuesday preceded an Iranian attack that hit three vessels. “Notwithstanding recent unprovoked attacks on merchant vessels, mariners are reminded that the southern route of the (strait) has been expanded and remains available for all traffic,” the maritime center stated. Data from analytics company Kpler showed 22 ships transited the strait on Thursday, a decrease from 30 on Wednesday and 41 on Tuesday.
