US military ends overnight strikes on Iran – several Gulf states report bombardment

Situation in the Gulf

The Kuwaiti army stated that it was engaging «hostile aerial targets». The army's general staff reported that hostile aerial targets were being engaged. The country initially provided no specific information about intercepts or damage.

In Bahrain, sirens sounded multiple times after nightfall, according to the interior ministry. The ministry urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter. Both points were explicitly directed at the population of the island nation.

Jordan was also affected during the night. Jordan's news agency Petra reported early Monday that four rockets from Iran had been intercepted. According to the report, citing a military source, there were no casualties or damage. Jordan also announced that it had shot down four rockets fired by Iran.

Diplomatic reactions

In parallel with the military developments, EU foreign ministers discussed possible sanctions on Israel. This also pushed the political dimension of the conflict more to the forefront of international diplomacy. The consultations took place against the backdrop of the recent escalation in the Middle East.

The tensions were immediately felt in financial markets. According to the coverage, oil prices rose significantly. Traders were responding to fears of the fighting spreading to other oil-producing countries in the region.

Impact on markets

The sources for the reports are agencies and SRF. The situation is extremely dynamic; further details, such as the number of targets, casualties in the attacked countries, or specific reactions from the Iranian leadership, were not yet available at the time of the ticker report.

Overall, an escalation spiral between the US and Iran is emerging, in the course of which the Gulf states of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan have also been drawn directly into the events. Whether the fighting will actually subside with the now-declared end of the US strikes, or whether Iran will respond with further retaliatory strikes, was initially unclear.