Iran’s military launched targeted attacks on key U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain amid escalating tensions with the United States. According to state media, Iran’s drone strikes struck aircraft shelters, satellite communication systems, and equipment storage areas at Kuwait’s Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base. Additional attacks at Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base focused on power generators, navigation systems, and support buildings. These actions followed a series of intensive U.S. strikes on numerous Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets across Iran earlier in the week.

This latest military exchange reflects a broader intensification of hostilities between Iran and the U.S., with drone incidents increasingly affecting energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East. In a related development, Egypt reported a drone attack on two ships at its Mediterranean port of Damietta, resulting in a fire. This represents the first known assault on Egyptian soil since the conflict began between the U.S. and Iran in late February. Responsibility for the strike has not been claimed.

Experts have highlighted broader regional risks as drone and missile attacks on shipping vessels have spread across multiple key maritime corridors including the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean. Hamish Kinnear from Verisk Maplecroft noted that the expanding reach and evolving tactics signal a new era of maritime threats, with critical chokepoints like the Suez Canal increasingly vulnerable amidst the conflict’s spillover effects.

In financial markets, oil prices rose following reports that Iran’s IRGC stopped or diverted several tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures climbed to $89.53 per barrel, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate up to $84.04. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for adding tariffs on Iran within a broader sanctions package currently pending in Congress, despite the tariffs’ limited practical impact due to minimal U.S.-Iran trade. The inclusion of such measures may complicate the bill’s legislative progress.