Bahrain said seven missiles fired by Iran toward Bahrain and Kuwait were intercepted, describing the attack as “blatant aggression” and urging Tehran to immediately halt strikes against Gulf neighbors. Kuwait’s military also reported intercepting incoming missiles and drones.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces, and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

The attacks came hours after U.S. Central Command said it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles and drones launched toward Gulf allies and the Strait of Hormuz, while carrying out retaliatory strikes against Iranian coastal radar installations.

Washington said the Iranian drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic through the strategic waterway, a key route for global oil and gas shipments. The latest exchange has further strained a fragile ceasefire and intensified pressure on Tehran as the Trump administration seeks a broader agreement to end the conflict.

The operation, announced by the U.S. military, targeted what officials described as immediate threats to American personnel and maritime security. The strikes occurred while senior Iranian negotiators, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials, were in Doha for talks with Qatari mediators seeking a framework agreement to halt hostilities.

The latest military action underscored the delicate balance between diplomacy and confrontation as Washington and Tehran attempt to negotiate an end to a conflict that has centered on Iran’s nuclear program and the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the U.S. Central Command said the attacks were defensive measures intended to protect American forces from threats posed by Iranian military assets.

“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a military spokesperson.

Earlier in India, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington remained committed to diplomacy and believed a negotiated settlement remained achievable.

Rubio said discussions were focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching a structured, time-limited negotiation over Iran’s nuclear activities. He indicated the United States would continue to pursue diplomatic options before considering alternative measures.

President Donald Trump echoed that message in a social media post, describing negotiations as progressing positively while warning that further military action could follow if talks failed to produce results.

At the center of the negotiations is the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments typically pass. Since the conflict began in late February, commercial traffic through the waterway has fallen sharply as Iran imposed restrictions and security concerns mounted.

A source familiar with the Doha discussions said negotiators were focusing on two key issues: restoring unrestricted navigation through the strait and addressing Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Iranian financial officials were also participating in discussions involving the possible release of frozen Iranian assets as part of a broader settlement.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said detailed nuclear negotiations would only begin after a broader framework agreement had been reached.

Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons. Washington, meanwhile, insists that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a central objective of any agreement.

In a separate development, Iranian state media reported that the country had used a newly deployed air-defense system to shoot down what officials described as a hostile stealth drone operating near the Arabian Gulf. Iranian authorities did not specify the drone’s origin.

Regional tensions were further heightened by developments in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would intensify military operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement despite a ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year. The Israeli military later reported strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in the Bekaa Valley and other areas.

Diplomatic efforts have also become intertwined with broader regional initiatives. Trump used his latest public comments to urge additional Arab and Muslim-majority nations to join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered framework that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries during his first term.

The proposal drew skepticism from regional observers and diplomats, some of whom argued that negotiations over Iran and broader normalization efforts should remain separate tracks.

Analysts said the administration appeared to be attempting to frame a prospective Iran agreement as part of a larger regional security architecture that could benefit Israel, Gulf states and the United States simultaneously.

Despite ongoing military exchanges, markets reacted positively to signs that diplomacy was continuing. Oil prices fell more than 4 percent on Monday, reaching their lowest levels in two weeks amid expectations that a breakthrough could restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and ease pressure on global energy supplies.

Iranian officials said 32 commercial vessels and five oil tankers transited the strait during the previous 24 hours under authorization from Iran’s naval forces, a fraction of the volume typically seen before the conflict began.

Negotiators in Doha are expected to continue discussions in the coming days as both sides seek agreement on the terms of a ceasefire, maritime security arrangements and a framework for addressing longstanding disputes over Iran’s nuclear activities.

The ministry said in a statement that defense systems were “actively engaging” aerial threats and urged residents not to approach or photograph debris from intercepted projectiles.The attack came hours after the U.S. military said American naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz had intercepted Iranian attacks targeting three U.S. Navy vessels late Thursday and carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities linked to operations against American forces.

United States Central Command said in a social media statement that U.S. forces responded to “unprovoked Iranian attacks” with what it described as self-defense strikes. The military said no American ships were hit and added that Washington did not seek further escalation but remained prepared to defend U.S. personnel and assets in the region.

Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that the ceasefire agreement between Tehran and Washington was still in effect despite renewed hostilities.

The latest violence threatens a truce that has largely held since April 8 after nearly six weeks of conflict triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets beginning Feb. 28.The UAE was among the Gulf states most affected during the conflict, facing repeated missile and drone attacks that authorities attributed to Iran.

Emirati officials said this week that strikes reported on Monday and Tuesday marked the first attacks on UAE territory since the ceasefire took effect.

According to UAE authorities, the country has been targeted by more than 2,000 drones, hundreds of ballistic missiles and dozens of cruise missiles since the war began. Officials said most were intercepted, but the attacks killed at least 13 people, injured more than 200 and damaged energy infrastructure and prominent buildings.

Other Gulf Arab countries also reported attacks during the conflict despite maintaining they were not directly participating in the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.On Thursday, the UAE announced the formation of a national committee to document what it described as Iranian attacks and the resulting human, economic and material losses, laying groundwork for potential legal action against Tehran.

State news agency WAM said the committee, chaired by the UAE attorney general, would gather evidence according to internationally recognized legal and technical standards to support future claims for accountability, reparations and justice.The move followed renewed diplomatic tensions after the UAE condemned statements by Iranian officials accusing Abu Dhabi’s security cooperation with Washington of threatening Iran’s national interests.

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s defense partnerships were a sovereign matter.

Efforts to secure a broader settlement remain stalled after talks hosted by Pakistan last month between U.S. and Iranian representatives ended without a comprehensive agreement to halt the conflict permanently.

The warning came as negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain stalled following a ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that took effect on April 8, with control of the strait a central dispute.

Trump said the operation, dubbed “Project Freedom,” would begin on Monday and described it as a humanitarian effort to assist crews stranded amid the disruption to shipping.

In a social media post, he said U.S. forces would work to guide vessels safely out of the waterway.In response, Iran’s military central command said any transit through the strait must be coordinated with Iranian forces, warning that “any foreign armed force especially the aggressive U.S. military” entering the area would be attacked, according to a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB and attributed to Major General Ali Abdollahi.

The standoff has disrupted global energy flows, with Iran effectively restricting the movement of oil, gas and fertilizer shipments through the strait, while the United States has imposed countermeasures targeting Iranian ports. Maritime data cited by AXSMarine indicated that more than 900 commercial vessels were in the Gulf as of April 29.

The United States Central Command said the escort mission would involve guided-missile destroyers, over 100 aircraft, unmanned platforms and around 15,000 personnel.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said the maritime security threat level in the strait remains “critical” due to ongoing military activity, advising vessels to coordinate with Omani authorities and consider alternative routing.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis have so far yielded little progress. Iran has proposed a framework for negotiations, including reopening the strait and lifting blockades, while U.S. officials have indicated discussions are ongoing but have not detailed specific terms.European officials have urged a negotiated resolution, warning of the economic impact of prolonged disruption.

Emmanuel Macron called for a coordinated reopening of the strait, while Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul stressed the need for Iran to restore navigation and address nuclear concerns.Oil prices have risen sharply, trading about 50 percent above pre-conflict levels amid supply constraints linked to the strait, a key global energy corridor.

Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the crew members, who had been aboard the MV Touska, were flown into Pakistan overnight and would be handed over to Iranian authorities later in the day.

The vessel was seized by U.S. forces in the Gulf of Oman after it refused orders to alter its course during heightened maritime tensions linked to the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since last month, part of broader measures amid escalating conflict with Tehran.A spokesperson for the United States Central Command said earlier that the crew had been repatriated to Pakistan, while Iranian media reported that six crew members had already been released and returned to Iran last week.

Andrabi said the vessel would also be moved to Pakistani territorial waters for repairs before being returned, with coordination involving both U.S. and Iranian authorities. He added that Islamabad welcomed the step and would continue efforts to facilitate dialogue.

The transfer comes as Pakistan positions itself as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday to discuss regional developments and diplomatic efforts.

Pakistan has hosted discussions between the two sides since February, though recent attempts at negotiations have not yielded a breakthrough. Tensions have remained high, particularly over control of the Strait of Hormuz, where the U.S. has announced plans to escort commercial vessels in an operation it describes as humanitarian.

Donald Trump said on Sunday that U.S. forces would start blockading maritime traffic to Iranian ports, escalating tensions after negotiations failed to produce an agreement to end the conflict, putting a fragile two-week ceasefire at risk.

US Central Command said the blockade would take effect at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) and would apply to all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports across the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It added that freedom of navigation through Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations would not be impeded.

Shipping data showed several vessels adjusting routes in response. The Malta-flagged very large crude carrier Agios Fanourios I reversed course after attempting to enter the Gulf and is now anchored near the Gulf of Oman.

Other tankers, including the Pakistan-flagged Shalamar and Khairpur, continued operations, heading toward the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait respectively to load cargo.

The Liberia-flagged VLCC Mombasa B also transited the strait earlier on Sunday and is currently ballasting in the Gulf, according to vessel tracking data.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any military vessels approaching the strait would be considered a violation of the ceasefire and would face a “decisive” response.

Despite rising tensions, shipping data showed that three fully laden supertankers passed through the strait on Saturday, appearing to be among the first vessels to exit the Gulf since the ceasefire agreement was reached last week.

Araqchi said negotiations in Islamabad had been conducted in good faith but were undermined by what he described as “maximalism” and shifting U.S. demands, adding that the talks came close to producing an agreement before breaking down.

The remarks followed an announcement by Donald Trump that U.S. naval forces would begin blockading vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, a move that risks destabilizing a fragile ceasefire reached after weeks of conflict.

US Central Command said the blockade would take effect at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) and would apply to all maritime traffic linked to Iranian ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, while maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels not bound for Iran.

Trump said the United States would act against ships paying what he described as “illegal tolls” to Iran and warned that any attack on U.S. or commercial vessels would trigger a strong military response.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said any approach by foreign military vessels to the strait would be treated as a violation of the ceasefire and met with a “decisive” response.

Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf dismissed the U.S. position, saying Tehran would respond in kind. “If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic,” he said, according to state media.

The talks in Islamabad marked the first direct engagement between the United States and Iran in more than a decade and followed a ceasefire announced earlier in the week after six weeks of conflict that has disrupted global energy markets and pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel.

JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, said no agreement had been reached, while signaling that diplomacy could continue. Trump also described the talks as “very friendly” and expressed confidence that Iran might return to negotiations.

A U.S. official said key sticking points included demands for Iran to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle enrichment facilities, transfer highly enriched material and end support for regional groups, alongside ensuring open access to the strait.

Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, said Tehran remained open to a “balanced and fair agreement,” blaming Washington for the breakdown and urging a return to international legal frameworks.

Shipping data showed that three fully laden supertankers transited the strait on Saturday, suggesting that maritime flows had not yet been fully disrupted despite the looming blockade.

An interceptor missile likely fired from a U.S.-operated Patriot air defence battery caused or contributed to a pre-dawn explosion that injured dozens of civilians in Bahrain on March 9, according to an analysis by researchers at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies .

The blast, which struck the Mahazza neighbourhood on Sitra island, injured 32 people including children, Bahraini authorities said at the time. Both Bahrain and the United States initially attributed the incident to an Iranian drone attack, with U.S. Central Command stating on social media that a drone had hit a residential area.

In response to Reuters queries, Bahrain said on Saturday for the first time that a Patriot missile was involved in the incident. A government spokesperson said the interceptor successfully engaged an Iranian drone mid-air, adding that the resulting damage and injuries were not caused by a direct ground impact from either the missile or the drone.

Neither Bahrain nor Washington has presented evidence confirming the presence of a drone over the Mahazza neighbourhood. The Pentagon referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which did not immediately respond.

A senior U.S. official said Washington was continuing efforts to counter Iranian drone and missile capabilities and reiterated that U.S. forces do not target civilians, without addressing specific questions about the incident.

The Middlebury analysis, conducted by researchers Sam Lair, Michael Duitsman and Jeffrey Lewis, concluded with moderate-to-high confidence that the missile was launched from a Patriot battery located roughly 7 km southwest of the impact area.

Their findings were based on open-source video, commercial satellite imagery and geolocation techniques independently .Footage reviewed by the researchers showed a missile travelling at low altitude before descending and detonating seconds later. The team traced its trajectory back to a site in Riffa identified as a long-standing Patriot battery location.

Satellite imagery indicated the presence of multiple launchers at the site days before the incident, and the researchers assessed the installation to be consistent with U.S.-operated systems rather than those recently deployed by Bahrain.

External experts consulted by Reuters said they found no reason to dispute the conclusions. Wes Bryant, a former Pentagon targeting advisor, described the findings as “pretty undeniable.”

The researchers said the available evidence suggested the missile detonated mid-air, dispersing fragments over several streets in Mahazza. Analysis of blast patterns and debris distribution indicated damage consistent with an aerial explosion of a Patriot interceptor, including its warhead and remaining propellant.

They said it was possible the missile was targeting a low-flying drone and that a combined detonation occurred, aligning with the Bahraini government’s account. However, they assessed it as less likely that a direct interception took place, citing the direction of damage and the absence of corroborating evidence of a drone.

Audio and visual analysis of verified footage supported the estimated location of the explosion, with specialists noting the delay between visible flash and sound consistent with a detonation several kilometres away. No clear audio evidence of drones or additional missiles was identified, though analysts said such sounds could be faint at that distance.

The incident occurred amid heightened regional tensions and coincided with reported Iranian strikes on infrastructure in Bahrain, including an attack on an oil refinery on Sitra the same night, according to the national oil company. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is a key security partner in the Gulf, where both countries operate Patriot systems.

Researchers noted that the use of high-cost interceptors against relatively inexpensive drones has been a defining feature of the ongoing conflict, highlighting operational challenges and risks to civilian areas when engagements occur near populated areas.

Bahrain’s government said suggestions of a malfunction or misfire were “factually incorrect.” The Middlebury team said it could not determine definitively why the missile detonated but noted that deviations in trajectory could indicate either a targeting decision or a technical issue.

The Strait of Hormuz, near Bahrain, remains a critical global energy route, carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, and has faced significant disruption during the conflict.