The United States and Israel exchanged air strikes with Iranian military targets across the Middle East, as Tehran warned that its security forces had their “fingers on the trigger” to confront any resurgence of anti-government protests.
Now in its 12th day, the conflict has effectively disrupted key shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, halting the passage of around one-fifth of the world’s fossil fuel supplies from the oil-rich Gulf.
Despite a sharp rise in crude oil prices on Monday, global energy prices later fell and stock markets recovered as investors speculated that US President Donald Trump might push for a swift end to the conflict.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it would block oil shipments from the Gulf unless US and Israeli strikes stopped. Meanwhile, exchanges of air strikes between the sides showed no immediate sign of easing.
A building was damaged following a drone strike in the Seef district of Manama, Bahrain, on March 10, 2026. The oil-rich Gulf region has been heavily affected by Iran’s retaliation for US-Israeli attacks that triggered the conflict, with Tehran targeting American assets as well as civilian infrastructure.
The Revolutionary Guards said they had launched missiles at the US-operated Al Udeid air base in Qatar and the Al Harir base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. This was followed by drone strikes targeting a gathering of US troops at Al Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates and the Juffair naval base in Bahrain.
Early this morning, Iranian state media reported a further round of attacks on US military installations in Bahrain.
A drone also struck a major US diplomatic facility in Iraq, though a US official and an internal State Department alert confirmed there were no injuries and all personnel were accounted for.
Overnight, millions of Israelis were repeatedly forced into bomb shelters after the military warned that Iran had launched missiles towards Israel, indicating that Tehran retains the capability to strike despite nearly two weeks of hostilities.
Explosions from air defence systems intercepting the rockets echoed through the pre-dawn darkness as air raid sirens sounded and residents rushed to shelters and safe rooms. There was no immediate confirmation on whether any of the missiles reached the ground.
via Reuters
