Gulf States in July 2026: the most important developments in security
In July 2026 security in the Gulf States was dominated by the exchange of strikes between the United States and Iran, in which Iran repeatedly attacked US military sites in Gulf countries. On July 8 Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they carried out 85 strikes on US targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, including Port Salman and the Fifth Naval Region in Bahrain, after US attacks on Iran. Iran hit Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar again on July 9 and widened attacks on July 12 to Oman, Jordan and the UAE. On July 14 it targeted the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and an air base in Jordan and fired at two UAE tankers. Attacks continued on July 17 and 18, when Kuwait reported fires at a power plant and an oil facility and damage to water plants, and Jordan said it intercepted 10 missiles. US Central Command carried out strikes on Iran on ten consecutive nights by July 21. Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan reported intercepting Iranian drones and missiles through the end of the month. On July 30 an Iranian strike hit a building of a Chinese company in Kuwait and killed one Nepalese man.
The Strait of Hormuz was the second focus. Three tankers, including a Qatari LNG ship, were hit within 24 hours around July 7. On July 12 Iran declared the strait closed, while US Central Command said it remained open. Shipping nearly halted on July 19, the International Maritime Organization urged shippers not to risk transits, and European aviation authorities extended a warning for Gulf airspace until August 31.
The Houthis opened a further front against Saudi Arabia. They fired missiles at the kingdom on July 13, declared a maritime blockade on July 20, and claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers on July 23. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fire on July 25. Saudi Arabia reported drone attacks on its oil facilities from Iraq on July 27 and 28 and, on July 29, said it struck militias in Iraq. Pakistan and Kuwait signed a defense pact on July 29, and on July 30 Saudi Arabia announced a maritime defense coalition backed by fourteen countries.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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