Drones were launched at several targets in the Gulf on Sunday, with one hitting a freighter sailing towards Qatar, as Tehran warned the United States that it would no longer hold back from retaliatory strikes. The attacks come amid heightened tensions following a U.S. fighter jet firing on two Iran-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Oman on Friday.
Iran's Warning
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament's national security commission, warned the United States in a social media post: 'Our restraint is over as of today. Any attack on our vessels will trigger a strong and decisive Iranian response against American ships and bases.'
According to Iranian state television, Tehran's military chief Ali Abdollahi met the country's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and received 'new directives and guidance for the continuation of operations to confront the enemy.'
Drone Attacks on Gulf Vessels
Qatar's defence ministry said a freighter arriving in the country's waters from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone on Sunday northeast of the port of Mesaieed. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported that the bulk carrier was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a small fire that was extinguished. There were no casualties and no reported environmental impact.
Iran's Fars news agency claimed that 'the bulk carrier that was struck near the coast of Qatar was sailing under a U.S. flag and belonged to the United States.' There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
UAE and Kuwait Targeted
The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of being behind an attack that targeted its territory. The UAE defence ministry stated that 'UAE air defence systems successfully engaged two UAVs launched from Iran.' If confirmed, this would be only the second alleged strike on Gulf countries since a month-old ceasefire began.
Iran's neighbour Kuwait also reported an attempted attack. The Kuwaiti military posted that 'at dawn today, the armed forces detected a number of hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace, which were dealt with in accordance with established procedures.'
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Threaten US Interests
This escalation follows a statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatening to target U.S. interests in the Middle East if its tankers came under fire. The IRGC said, 'Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships.'
South Korea reported that unidentified aircraft had hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last week, causing damage and a fire before the vessel made its way to port in Dubai.
