İran Attacked US Bases: Hürmüz Boğazı Crisis and Oil Prices Skyrocket

As tensions in Ortadoğu once again climb to their highest level, the İran Devrim Muhafızları announced that it carried out missile and drone attacks on American military bases in Bahreyn and Kuveyt. According to a report by The Times, Tahran is said to have launched a joint operation targeting Bandar Salman and Ali Al Salem Hava Üssü. It was claimed that during the attack, an American MQ-9 drone attempting to thwart the operation was also shot down. This new military step indicates that the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tahran has reached the point of collapse. This latest surge in violence in the region brings the Hürmüz Boğazı, which is of critical importance to the global energy supply chain, back to the world's agenda.

While officials in Bahreyn and Kuveyt activated air raid sirens, the Kuveyt army confirmed that its air defense systems responded to enemy missiles and drones. It was reported that İran's response came after the ABD bombed İran targets in the Hürmüz region. The Amerikan Merkez Komutanlığı (CENTCOM) announced that more than 60 Devrim Muhafızı boats and coastal security systems were destroyed in retaliation for İran's attacks on oil tankers. US officials stated that these attacks targeted air defense systems, surface-to-air missiles, and drone launch pads. Initially, there was no comprehensive official statement from the American military regarding the matter, but CENTCOM explicitly accused İran of violating the ceasefire.

As the diplomatic crisis between the parties deepens, NATO Genel Sekreteri Mark Rutte defended Washington's stance ahead of the alliance summit to take place in Ankara. Rutte emphasized that İran's violation of the ceasefire made the ABD's decisive response necessary. Meanwhile, Speaker of the İran parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused the ABD of launching attacks and renewing oil sanctions, stating that his country would not bow to these harassments. Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard at strategic points in the south of the country and at Harg Adası, the country's main oil export center. It was reported that civilians were injured by shrapnel after random shells hit fishing piers in Sirik and Bandar Abbas.

The temporary ceasefire agreement signed in Haziran, which initiated a 60-day negotiation process for a permanent solution, has effectively collapsed. The ABD escalated economic pressure by canceling the transitional license that allowed Tahran to sell oil in international markets. İran Dışişleri Bakanı Abbas Aragçi openly warned that if threats persist, negotiations for a final agreement will not begin. Immediately following these developments, major fluctuations occurred in oil markets, and the price per barrel of Brent crude approached the $78 boundary. In particular, the Middle East policies and threats of Donald Trump are fueling fears that the market volatility seen during the most intense period of the war could return.

As the repercussions of the crisis on global trade rapidly increase, Katar held İran responsible for attacks on commercial ships and announced that a natural gas tanker was damaged. A Saudi-flagged super oil tanker named Wedyan, damaged while sailing off Omán according to security sources, also reveals the scale of the risks in the region. Tahran warned the international community that commercial vessels would be at risk if they use routes not coordinated with İran. Experts point out that every new conflict carries the potential to turn the fragile ceasefire into an outright war. While the Hürmüz Boğazı continues to serve as a strategic bargaining chip, the eyes of the world are on the new victims of this global crisis, which could grow even larger at any moment.