US missiles targeted multiple sites across Iran on Friday, escalating tensions as President Donald Trump warned of “major military punishment” for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen. Despite the aggressive posture, Trump also signaled a willingness to pursue diplomatic solutions with Iran.
The strikes followed the collapse of a temporary truce two weeks earlier, raising fears that the conflict could intensify and spread throughout the region. In retaliation, Iranian forces launched attacks on US bases located in neighboring Arab countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq. Tehran also cautioned that it might target civilian infrastructure in these countries if such facilities were utilized by US personnel.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to expand US military operations, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, key bridges, and vital oil facilities. He has also mentioned deploying ground troops to capture Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal, and bombing Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried site associated with Iran’s nuclear program.
However, on Friday, Trump stated he had not finalized any decisions regarding further major strikes. He suggested that Iran had not yet endured “enough pain,” but also indicated that Washington remained open to negotiating a settlement if Tehran agreed to certain conditions.
Meanwhile, regional and international stakeholders continue efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating further. Notably, Pakistan is exploring avenues to revive stalled talks, following a diplomatic push initiated by China. During a recent visit to Islamabad by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni—his second in ten days—preliminary discussions were held, though the likelihood of de-escalation remains uncertain.
The situation is being closely monitored by Gulf states, where US military bases could become targets if hostilities widen. Concerns over maritime security have increased after a Saudi-linked vessel was reportedly attacked, heightening fears for the safety of commercial shipping routes in the region.
Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said, “We are talking to them. I think they’re being serious. I think … they are being by far the most serious that we’ve seen them, but that doesn’t mean we get there.” When asked about an exit strategy from the Iran conflict, he outlined two options: a continued military campaign with increased force or a negotiated deal. “We’re locked and loaded. We’re ready to go,” he added.
Later, Trump announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit the United States next week, with a meeting scheduled for Tuesday as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran reaches five months.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway at the Gulf’s entrance, remains a focal point of the conflict, which has claimed thousands of lives, driven global inflation, and raised concerns about a looming economic downturn. The Houthis, controlling northern and western Yemen, have declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, redirecting millions of barrels of oil daily through pipelines to the Red Sea to avoid Iran’s near-total blockade of the Strait.
Following Houthi claims of striking two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday, Trump vowed to hold Iran accountable for any further attacks by the group. On Friday, a Saudi vessel suffered minor hull damage in an attack in the Red Sea. The Saudi-led coalition responded by targeting Houthi military sites, which it said threatened commercial shipping, although independent verification of these claims was not immediately available.
The US military has conducted air strikes on Iran for 13 consecutive nights. The Iranian health ministry reported 59 fatalities and 666 injuries since clashes with US forces resumed in late June. Iranian military leadership declared a policy of killing one US service member for every Iranian killed. The conflict has resulted in 18 US service member deaths, with over 500 injured since early July.
Oil markets reacted to the instability, with Brent crude futures dropping more than $4 to just above $96 per barrel on Friday, after surging 7% to $100 the previous day following attacks on Saudi tankers near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The Houthi assaults have forced several tankers to reroute via the longer Suez Canal and around Africa. Despite this, half of the 18 ships leaving Bab el-Mandeb on Thursday were crude carriers, including two Chinese supertankers, while tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to its lowest level since early May.
Iranian forces claimed attacks on US military depots at Camp Buehring in northern Kuwait and positions at Camp Arifjan and Camp Doha near Kuwait City. Kuwait reported intercepting hostile targets launched from Iran. Additionally, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed significant damage to a US Fifth Fleet surveillance tower in Bahrain.
