The conflict between Iran and the United States has entered another dangerous phase, with fresh Iranian attacks reported across several Gulf countries following a seventh consecutive night of US military strikes, Cape {town} Etc reports
The latest escalation has widened the battlefield beyond Iran itself, raising fears that vital energy infrastructure, shipping routes and civilians across the Middle East could become increasingly caught in the crossfire.
According to News24, Iran said it targeted military sites linked to the United States in countries including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, while early warning systems were also activated in parts of Saudi Arabia.
In Kuwait, authorities reported damage to key infrastructure after missile and drone attacks. A power generation and water desalination facility was struck, while operations at Kuwait International Airport were temporarily suspended because of repeated aerial threats.
Kuwaiti officials also said emergency crews, including firefighters and workers in the country’s oil sector, were injured while responding to the attacks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for several operations, saying it had struck US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. In a statement, the IRGC warned that further attacks could follow, declaring: ‘Whoever attacks you, attack them in the same manner.’
Some of Iran’s claims, including reports that US aircraft had been destroyed during attacks in Jordan, could not be independently verified. The conflict is also spilling into the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States said it continues to enforce a naval blockade in the area, while Iran claimed it intercepted vessels that violated its maritime rules. Both countries have accused each other of threatening commercial shipping, adding to growing concerns about global energy supplies.
The uncertainty has already rattled financial markets. Oil prices climbed by more than 4% on Friday, reaching their highest level in over a month as traders weighed the possibility of prolonged disruption in one of the world’s busiest oil-exporting regions.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies, meaning any disruption can quickly influence fuel prices worldwide. For South Africans, this matters because international oil prices are one of the biggest factors determining monthly fuel price adjustments alongside the rand-dollar exchange rate.
While military targets remain at the centre of the conflict, civilian infrastructure is also suffering.
Iranian media reported that US strikes damaged bridges, transport links and utility infrastructure in southern Iran, with several people killed and others injured. In the coastal city of Jask, missile strikes reportedly damaged power facilities and desalination equipment, leaving around 10,000 residents in nearby villages without water before emergency supplies were dispatched.
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Reportedly, the United Nations has voiced concern over the growing impact on civilians. UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesperson said the organisation was concerned about ‘attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region.’
The latest exchanges come just a week after a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran collapsed.
US Central Command said its latest operations targeted surveillance systems, underground weapons storage sites, military logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. More than 50,000 US service members remain deployed across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has continued to warn that further military action remains on the table, including possible strikes on additional Iranian infrastructure. Analysts warn that continued escalation could draw more regional powers into the conflict while increasing the risk of disruptions to shipping through both the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea trade routes.
With Gulf nations hosting American military bases now increasingly exposed to retaliatory attacks, the conflict appears to be expanding well beyond the original battlefield, adding to uncertainty across one of the world’s most strategically important regions.
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