Explosive-laden drones targeted Irbil, a city in northern Iraq where U.S. forces are stationed, on Friday. Sirens were also heard in Bahrain following the incident. The U.S. military stated it had completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran.
The conflict has intensified over the past week, with the U.S. conducting strikes on Iran while Tehran has attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. assets and allied nations in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, has become a focal point of the current hostilities, as Iranian attacks can disrupt this vital waterway, leading to significant global economic repercussions.
Security officials in northern Iraq reported that U.S.-led forces intercepted and downed five explosive-laden drones over Irbil on Friday morning. "Fortunately, the incident caused no casualties or damage," the officials stated. An Associated Press journalist in Irbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, reported hearing at least seven explosions and observing at least four plumes of black smoke rising from areas near or within a base at the city's airport that hosts U.S. personnel. The state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that flights at the airport continued without disruption.
In recent years, the U.S. maintained approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq for training and counter-ISIS operations. While many have since withdrawn, a contingent of military advisers and other personnel remains, with a significant number now based in Irbil.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard issued a statement, read on state TV, urging citizens in neighboring countries to avoid areas with American troops and to report their locations. Tehran has targeted several countries hosting American forces in response to U.S. airstrikes.
Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, announced it had intercepted and shot down Iranian aerial attacks on Friday, though details on casualties or damage were not immediately available.
Overnight U.S. strikes in Iran reportedly hit a naval base belonging to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the country's north. Explosions were also reported on Qeshm Island, a base for naval assets, and in Isfahan province, which houses a major Iranian air base and a nuclear site. Further strikes were reported in Iran's southwest Khuzestan and southern Fars provinces.
U.S. Central Command stated that the recent barrage of strikes was aimed at "further degrading Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters" as part of efforts to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen escalated regional pressure by targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, fulfilling a threat to disrupt an alternative oil transit route. This action occurred as Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, briefly surpassed $100 a barrel.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and crucial for global trade, is now under increased risk following the Houthi attacks. This passage is particularly important for Saudi Arabia, which has rerouted significant oil shipments to its Red Sea port of Yanbu to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump issued a warning of "major military punishment" against the Houthis if their attacks on shipping continue. He also stated on social media that sanctioned Iranian funds held by the United States would be used to compensate for damages to ships affected by the conflict, though the legal mechanisms for such an action remain unclear.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned Trump's statement, warning that the confiscation of assets could lead to global instability.
The International Maritime Organization has reported that approximately 6,000 mariners are stranded on around 400 vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, exposed to the ongoing conflict. The U.N. human rights chief has called for urgent action to assist these seafarers, many of whom have been abandoned by ship owners and are left without essential resources.