US and Iran Exchange Strikes as Gulf Conflict Hits 100 Days

The military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran reached its 100th day on June 7, 2026, marked by a severe escalation of tit-for-tat strikes. Following the shootdown of several Iranian drones targeting the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command conducted self-defense strikes against Iranian coastal surveillance radar and ground control stations on Qeshm Island and in Goruk.

In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting U.S. military assets, including the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. While the U.S. reported intercepting most projectiles, a drone strike hit Terminal 1 of Kuwait International Airport, killing an Indian national and injuring over 60 people. Kuwait responded by expelling two Iranian diplomats and condemning the "criminal aggression."

Diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran have reached a deadlock. Iran demands the release of $24 billion in frozen assets and an end to the U.S. naval blockade of its ports as prerequisites for peace. Conversely, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is considering redirecting those frozen assets to fund war damage repairs for Gulf allies. Simultaneously, Israel continued operations in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokered partial truce with Hezbollah, a development Iran claims jeopardizes any comprehensive ceasefire. The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused global energy price spikes and severe economic instability within Iran, where inflation reached 77.2% in May.