Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait early Thursday, according to the U.S. military, in a fresh escalation after American strikes in southern Iran and renewed attacks by Tehran on U.S. forces in the region. The overnight exchange has further weakened hopes for a quick agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring the war closer to an end.
U.S. Central Command said the missile was fired by Iran at 10:17 p.m. Eastern and was successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces. Kuwait, which hosts five U.S. military bases, condemned Iran in a statement published on social media and accused Tehran of targeting the country.
The United States accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement by launching the ballistic missile only hours after U.S. forces carried out strikes in southern Iran.
Iran Says Attack Was Retaliation for U.S. Strikes
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it targeted a U.S. base in response to American strikes on southern Iran, marking the second round of attacks between the two countries this week.
Iranian state media published the Guards Corps statement, which said Iran had responded to the latest U.S. strikes on the port city of Bandar Abbas by targeting the American base from which those strikes were launched. The statement did not identify the base or explain how it was targeted.
The Guards Corps warned that if similar strikes happen again, Iran’s response will be “more decisive,” without providing further details.
Oil Prices Jump as Strait of Hormuz Fears Grow
The latest exchange of hostilities rattled global markets on Thursday. Oil prices climbed and stocks wavered after Iran said it had targeted an American military base in retaliation for U.S. action a day earlier.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern for energy markets because it is a critical transit route for oil and gas tankers. A U.S. official said four Iranian drones shot down on Wednesday posed a threat to American forces in the region and to the limited commercial shipping still moving through the waterway.
The renewed attacks leave diplomatic efforts under pressure. With both sides accusing the other of escalation, prospects for a near-term agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict appear increasingly uncertain.
