US Attacks on Iran Continue: Sixth Night in a Row, Tehran Retaliates with Strikes on Gulf States

Iranian media, meanwhile, reported strikes on civilian infrastructure inside the country. According to these reports, "eine Brücke in der Hafenstadt Bandar Chamir" was hit, "und ein Eisenbahnknotenpunkt in Bandar Abbas" as well as the airport in the city of Iranshahr in the southeast of the country. In the southern province of Hormozgan, the bridges of Kahurestan and Gariveh on the region's main traffic arteries were also struck, as the provincial administration announced through the Fars news agency. These strikes in Hormozgan killed two people and wounded four others, it was further reported.

Casualties and Damage in Iran

According to the available reports, "mindestens sieben Menschen" were killed in total by the US attacks. Fires that broke out at Iranshahr airport have since been extinguished, but the airport's power supply was cut off. In the port city of Bandar Abbas and in Bandar Chamir, explosions could be heard, as eyewitnesses and Iranian state media reported in agreement.

Iranian Retaliation in the Region

The Iranian regime responded to the US attacks with retaliatory strikes against US-allied states in the region. "Das islamistische Regime wiederum beschoss weitere Ziele in der Region – unter anderem in Kuwait und Bahrain." According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, the Iranian army attacked US helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir Base in Bahrain with drones. The US allies Kuwait and Bahrain, for their part, confirmed attacks, and Kuwaiti air defenses were activated "gegen iranische Raketen- und Drohnenangriffe," according to a post by the military on the platform X. No information was initially available on possible damage at Sakhir Base.

Qatar and Jordan also reported impacts. In the Qatari capital, explosions could be heard in the sky as air defense systems attempted to intercept the missiles. Qatari authorities warned the population in the early morning hours of Friday about Iranian rocket fire and urged them to seek shelter. Jordan also reported renewed shelling from Iran. The conflict is thus expanding beyond the direct fronts between Washington and Tehran to include several states bordering the Persian Gulf.

Justification from the White House

The US government justified the attacks with the behavior of the Iranian leadership. Government spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told the press in Washington: "Der Iran steht nach wie vor in engem Austausch mit den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika." It was Leavitt's first public appearance at the White House since the birth of her second child in May. When asked by a journalist whether she was giving Iran an ultimatum before the US military began bombing bridges, President Trump had already responded on Wednesday: "Ich mag es nicht, Fristen zu setzen."

Threats and Escalation Spiral

Trump had also announced in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday that in the coming week "alle Kraftwerke und Brücken" would be destroyed, "es sei denn, sie (die Iraner) kommen an den Verhandlungstisch und verhandeln." This week, the US president openly threatened Iran with attacks on civilian infrastructure. At the same time, Trump announced heavy attacks for the coming nights, while the White House continues to see willingness to negotiate on the Iranian side. Leavitt stated that Trump would "nicht tatenlos zusehen" while Iran attacks ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Outlook: Negotiations or Further Violence?

The Iranian leadership responded to the US threats with a further escalation threat: it announced that, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, it intended to block the Red Sea in the future. This would put additional pressure on one of the most important maritime routes for global oil and goods trade. The Persian Gulf region, already a focal point of the global economy, faces an escalation scenario with the sixth consecutive night of attacks that extends far beyond the direct parties to the conflict.

The reports on the attacks and the retaliatory strikes were broadcast on July 17, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. The situation remains unclear: while the US government portrays the attacks as retaliation and a means of pressure for negotiations, Iran sees the blockade of its ports and the strikes on its infrastructure as an act of aggression that justifies further military responses. Observers interpret the ongoing duration of the attacks as an indication that a short-term diplomatic solution is currently not in sight.