As the military confrontation between the United States and the Iranian regime expands, new developments have emerged on the region’s military, diplomatic, and economic fronts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced missile and drone attacks against U.S. positions in Kuwait and Jordan, while the United States reported launching a new wave of strikes against military targets in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, the IRGC claimed it had targeted a range of U.S. military facilities and equipment in Kuwait, including a satellite communications center, radar and air defense systems, a Patriot missile complex, logistics warehouses, and HIMARS missile launchers with missile and drone attacks. However, the statement did not identify the base that was allegedly targeted. The IRGC also urged Kuwaiti citizens not to miss the opportunity to attack facilities affiliated with the United States.
In response, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces said the country’s air defense systems intercepted what it described as “aggression by the Iranian regime” early Wednesday.
IRGC: Either Oil for Everyone or for No One!
The IRGC also again claimed that Azraq Air Base in Jordan, where U.S. forces are stationed, had been targeted. Meanwhile, the Jordanian Armed Forces said they intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles that entered the country’s airspace early Wednesday. Jordan had also reported intercepting several other missiles over the previous three days.
On the other side, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had completed a new phase of military operations against the Iranian regime, targeting dozens of military sites around the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran’s southern coastline. CENTCOM also released video footage showing the destruction of several military targets across different parts of Iran.
Pourquoi le régime iranien viole-t-il le cessez-le-feu avec les États-Unis ?#IranWarhttps://t.co/sPs7L0AgUE
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) July 14, 2026
At the same time, Axios, citing three informed sources, reported that U.S. President Donald Trump discussed a broader military operation against the Iranian regime during a meeting in the White House Situation Room. The reported operation would extend beyond the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz.
Maritime tensions have also continued. Following the start of the second phase of the U.S. naval blockade targeting shipping linked to the Iranian regime, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply. According to ship-tracking data, only a limited number of vessels have passed through the waterway. Reports indicate that some oil tankers have switched off their identification systems to reduce the risk of interception.
Conversely, data from international institutions show that the number of vessels involved in trade linked to the Iranian regime had increased in the Strait of Hormuz just before the blockade began. It has also been reported that dozens of ships are attempting to evade U.S. maritime restrictions by using false flags, disabling tracking systems, and employing other concealment methods.
Diplomatic pressure on the Iranian regime has also intensified. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Iranian regime’s embassy in London, stating that the IRGC’s Quds Force had played a role in directing an affiliated group to carry out attacks in Europe. London described these activities as completely unacceptable and stressed that despite repeated warnings, the Iranian regime has not only failed to halt its hostile actions but has escalated them.
The move came just one day after the British government designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, a decision that prompted a formal protest from the Iranian regime.
Meanwhile, the economic consequences of the crisis have also become evident. According to Bloomberg, China’s crude oil refining in June fell to its lowest level since 2020. Independent Chinese refineries, which had purchased a significant share of the Iranian regime’s discounted oil, have been the hardest hit by declining imports, a development that could place additional pressure on Iran’s oil exports.
Taken together, these developments indicate that the conflict between the United States and the Iranian regime has expanded beyond the military arena and is now rapidly encompassing diplomatic, maritime, and economic dimensions, a trend that could further reshape the region’s security and energy landscape.
