UN Warns of Escalating Gulf Tensions as Trump Threatens Largest-Ever Iran Strikes

The US president’s threat comes after another day of Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.

Published On 23 Jul 202623 Jul 2026

United States President Donald Trump has warned of launching the most extensive military strikes against Iran to date, following Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US allies in the Gulf, including a telecommunications tower in Kuwait. Speaking to Axios on Thursday, Trump stated he is “considering a massive attack” that would surpass previous operations in scale.

The escalating conflict has intensified after 12 consecutive nights of US airstrikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and tunnels, according to Iranian media. Iran’s response has disrupted energy supplies across the region, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warning of retaliatory measures “in accordance with the principle of an eye for an eye.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed targeting US military assets in Jordan and Kuwait, along with a telecommunications tower in the latter, framing the attacks as retaliation for US strikes on Iranian infrastructure. The IRGC also emphasized that the US, not Iran, had violated Kuwait’s sovereignty through its actions.

Kuwait reported additional incidents, including drone attacks on its Abdali border crossing with Iraq. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired on two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, prompting global condemnation and significantly increasing oil prices. The Houthis have imposed a blockade on Saudi ports, threatening further attacks on Aramco facilities unless Riyadh lifts its own restrictions on Houthi-controlled ports.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as “teetering on the edge of the unimaginable,” highlighting the cascading crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb Strait, both critical shipping routes now severely disrupted. Energy analysts note that global oil markets face heightened risks, with Brent crude surpassing $100 a barrel for the first time in May due to fears of prolonged supply disruptions and dwindling strategic reserves.

The US-Israel war on Iran, ongoing since late February, has effectively sealed the Strait of Hormuz, exacerbating energy insecurity. Analysts warn that current strategic and commercial oil inventories are lower than when the conflict began, leaving the global economy with limited buffers against potential long-term disruptions.

‘Eye for an eye’

Iran’s foreign ministry reiterated its commitment to retaliatory actions, with spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia stating that attacks on Iran’s coastal and infrastructural sites will continue as long as the US persists in such operations.

The Houthis’ latest strikes on Saudi Arabia threaten to deepen the regional crisis, with Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa, noting Houthi sources’ warnings that Aramco facilities could be targeted. The conflict’s intensification raises urgent concerns about regional stability and global energy markets.

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