Iran‑US conflict spreads across Gulf, threatening Strait of Hormuz

The military confrontation between the United States and Iran has expanded into a multi‑front war across the Arabian Peninsula. Fighting now stretches from Iraq through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, mixing direct attacks, proxy battles and regional power rivalries.

Washington says its strikes target Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces and nuclear‑related sites, while Tehran retaliates against U.S. bases in Gulf states and Israeli targets. Both sides have hit civilian sites, and the Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point because it channels the bulk of global oil trade. The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, prompting Tehran to increase attacks aimed at raising global energy prices and pressuring the U.S. domestic opposition to the war.

Arab Gulf states—including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar—host key U.S. military installations. They seek to avoid direct participation but are repeatedly drawn into the conflict by Iranian retaliation.