TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that it had launched strikes against US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, while also threatening to target all vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in a major escalation of the conflict with Washington.
In a statement carried by state-run IRNA news agency, the IRGC said it had struck 18 “important targets” belonging to the US military at Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al Jaber air bases in Kuwait.
It also claimed to have “hit and destroyed” Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
Iranian media separately reported that Tehran had targeted the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, though there was no immediate confirmation from US authorities.
IRGC: Early on Thursday morning, the IRGC’s Aerospace Force and Navy fighters, while punishing the aggressor and retaliating against the US military’s provocation, struck and destroyed 18 key US military assets at the Ali Al Salem, Ahmad Al Jaber, and Sheikh Isa air bases. pic.twitter.com/U3qswFWI7c
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) June 11, 2026
The claims came as Iran’s military command announced that the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, had been closed to all vessel traffic.
The Khatam al-Anbiya military command said “any vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted”, warning that ships approaching the strategic waterway would be regarded as cooperating with the enemy.
IRGC Navy: The Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice
🔹Following repeated violations of the ceasefire by the American enemy, the Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice.
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) June 11, 2026
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy said it had already struck two vessels attempting to pass through the strait, which links the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and carries roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.
“Following repeated violations of the ceasefire by the American enemy, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice,” the force said in a statement carried by state media.
“We warn that no vessel should leave its anchorage in the —- Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy.”
The developments followed a fresh round of US air strikes against Iran on Wednesday. President Donald Trump vowed to “hit them hard” after accusing Iranian negotiators of delaying efforts to reach an agreement to end the conflict.
Iranian media also reported explosions across the country’s south near the Strait of Hormuz, where US forces said they had targeted air-defence systems, radar installations and other military sites earlier this week.
The latest exchanges have intensified concerns about a broader regional conflict and the potential disruption of global energy supplies, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining a vital artery for international oil trade.
