Trump Blockades Iran as Missile Attacks Hit U.S. Bases

President Donald Trump authorized three consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes against Iranian coastal sites, including Bushehr and Bandar Abbas, to degrade Iran's ability to target commercial shipping. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a series of retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. These strikes hit the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, and the Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al Jaber Air Bases in Kuwait. A seventh wave of drone strikes, titled Operation Sa'eqeh, specifically targeted F-18 positions and hangars at Jordan's Azraq Air Base.

The conflict expanded to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian missiles struck two UAE-flagged supertankers, the MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, killing one Indian sailor. In response, Donald Trump reinstated a naval blockade of Iranian ports. While he initially proposed a 20 percent shipping toll for cargo, he scrapped the plan after Gulf nations offered alternative investments.

Regional instability further spread as Saudi Arabia bombed Sanaa International Airport in Yemen to divert a Houthi delegation flight. The Houthis retaliated by firing ballistic missiles and drones at Abha International Airport in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran against attacking Israel, and the Government of India condemned the violence against seafarers. Iranian officials declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, stating it would not be reopened through American aggression.