Iran fires missiles and dronesIran fires missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf states as Trump pursues ceasefire talks
Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel and all six Gulf Cooperation Council states—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE—in late March, even as U.S. President Donald Trump announced negotiations to end the conflict. The strikes followed U.S. and Israeli bombing campaigns against Iranian military infrastructure and came amid a broader escalation that saw Iran attack Gulf energy facilities and threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A temporary two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, brokered by Pakistan, though Israel excluded its operations in Lebanon from the agreement and continued strikes there. The attacks have fractured decades of diplomatic restraint between Iran and Gulf Arab states, with the UAE and others now demanding Iran be held accountable for damages and reparations.
Israeli and U.S. Position
Israel and the U.S. argue that Iran's weapons programs and regional aggression threaten not only Israel but the entire world. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated the bombing campaign would continue "without any time limit, as long as necessary," and the IDF accused Iran of deliberately placing civilians in danger by launching attacks from populated areas. The U.S. and Israel view the strikes as justified responses to Iranian threats and see the ceasefire as conditional on Iranian compliance.
Iranian Position
Iran frames its attacks as defensive responses to U.S. and Israeli aggression. Tehran has warned it will withdraw from ceasefire negotiations if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue, using the threat as leverage to pressure both Washington and Tel Aviv. Iran views the conflict as an existential challenge to its sovereignty and regional standing.
Gulf Arab States' Position
The Gulf states express alarm at becoming collateral damage in the U.S.-Iran conflict after decades of avoiding direct military confrontation with Tehran. The UAE has called for Iran to be held fully accountable and liable for damages and reparations, while also demanding that the international community address Iran's nuclear capabilities, ballistic missiles, drones, and threats to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The UAE and Kuwait each faced nearly 200 ballistic missiles from Iran during the recent attacks.
- Iran fired more than twice as many missiles and about 20 times more drones toward Gulf states than at Israel itself, according to Israeli security data.
- The Strait of Hormuz, controlled by Iran, is a critical chokepoint through which roughly one-third of global seaborne oil passes.
US-Iran Ceasefire War
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on June 26, 2026, in response to a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire agreement signed just days earlier[2][4][14].
26 June, 09:35 PM
US launches strikes against Iran following commercial ship attack26 June, 04:47 PM
Trump calls Iran drone attack on cargo ship a ceasefire violation
