The United States has launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran, and Tehran has answered by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, pulling three US-linked regional partners deeper into a crisis that was supposed to be moving toward talks.
The renewed exchange came after Donald Trump warned that Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and that “now they will have to pay the price,” according to Guardian World. The immediate problem is now bigger than Washington and Tehran. Airspace, US-hosting states, Gulf military sites and emergency diplomacy are all in play at once.
US hits Iran again as Trump turns stalled talks into a threat
The latest US action marks the second consecutive day of direct strikes on Iran, according to the supplied reports. US fighter jets targeted air defence, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites, US Central Command said in the related account provided.
Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, but did not give damage details. No confirmed casualty figures from the latest US strikes were provided in the source material.
Trump’s public message sharpened the military pressure. He said Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and that “now they will have to pay the price.”
That wording matters because it links the strikes to the negotiating track, even if the precise operational rationale for the second round remains partly unclear from the available material. The US has previously described related strikes as responses to Iranian actions, including threats to regional waters and US assets.
“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us.”
That earlier Trump line, from the related NBC material, now sits awkwardly beside the new warning. The diplomatic door has not been described as closed, but the public posture has hardened fast.
The ceasefire effort was already fragile. The supplied material says the US and Iran have traded strikes several times since agreeing to a ceasefire in early April, while broader talks have dragged over Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, the Strait of Hormuz and linked regional conflicts.
Iran targets Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan as US host nations move into the line of fire
Iran’s response widened the crisis across the Gulf and Jordan. Tehran announced attacks involving Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, all of which are strategically tied to Washington and host US forces or US-linked military activity, according to the supplied context.
Kuwait was among the Gulf states pulled into the latest exchange. The supplied context supports that Kuwait intercepted incoming fire, but it does not provide further confirmed detail on flight diversions, airport damage or casualties there.
The aviation risk is therefore a major concern rather than a fully documented casualty picture in the available material. What is confirmed is that incoming fire reached the airspace of US-linked partners, forcing regional states to respond defensively.
Bahrain also came under Iranian fire and intercepted incoming fire, according to the supplied context. That puts another important US-linked Gulf partner back near the center of the escalation, even without confirmed details in the source material about sirens or a specific claimed target.
Jordan reported direct defensive action as well. Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said had targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. The base has hosted American F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft, according to the supplied material. Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency reported no injuries.
| Location | Immediate development | Confirmed response in source material |
|---|---|---|
| Kuwait | Iran announced new attacks | Incoming fire intercepted |
| Bahrain | Came under Iranian fire | Incoming fire intercepted |
| Jordan | Iran said Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was targeted | Five incoming missiles shot down, no injuries reported |
The pattern puts renewed attention on US partners that can become targets even when Washington is the direct combatant.
Twenty-two countries accuse Iran of overseas plots using criminal gangs
Before the latest US strikes, 22 countries, including the United States, Australia and European nations, jointly warned Iran to stop attacking people “on our soil.”
The statement accused Iranian security services of using international and local criminal gangs for plots in Europe, North America and Australia. The countries called that conduct “deplorable.”
“Attempts to kill, kidnap, harass, intimidate, or otherwise attack people on our soil, undermines national sovereignty and international norms. These actions must stop immediately.”
The timing does not prove the statement caused the US strikes. The source material only says it was released before the second round of US action.
Still, it adds a second diplomatic track to the crisis. The military fight is centered on Iran, US forces and regional bases. The joint statement broadens the accusation to Iranian activity inside allied countries, including alleged plots against people abroad.
That matters for coalition politics. Governments backing Washington can frame pressure on Tehran around both regional attacks and alleged transnational operations. That does not mean they have agreed on the next military step.
Ceasefire pressure now runs through Gulf airspace, US bases and Qatar’s shuttle talks
Emergency diplomacy has not stopped, but the available material does not confirm a specific new Qatar delegation arriving in Tehran after consultations with the US. For now, the clearest confirmed diplomatic signals are coming from Iranian officials responding to the latest American strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty in calls with counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. His office said he emphasized Iran’s “inherent right of self-defence, including reciprocal action.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran would review its stance on negotiations in light of the new attacks. That is the clearest sign in the source material that the latest strikes may directly affect the talks.
The next verified signals matter more than rhetoric now:
- US posture: Whether Washington confirms more strikes or pauses after the second round.
- Iranian response: Whether Tehran continues targeting US-linked sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
- Regional containment: Whether Gulf states report further interceptions, raise alerts or request more protection.
- Diplomacy: Whether regional mediation produces a pause, or only documents how far the ceasefire has slipped.
For markets and security desks, the practical read is simple: watch airspace warnings, base alerts and official military statements first. Public threats are moving fast, but the hard evidence is in interceptions and whether the next wave actually launches.
The Stakes
- The conflict is widening as Iran targets US-linked partners beyond direct US-Iran confrontation.
- Trump’s comments tie military pressure to stalled negotiations, raising the risk of further escalation.
- Airspace, Gulf military sites and emergency diplomacy are now central to regional stability.
Originally published on XOOMAR. For more news and analysis, visit XOOMAR.
