Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:13am on 12 Jul 2026,Sunday International
The Middle East conflict escalated sharply after the United States launched strikes on 140 Iranian targets following Tehran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran announced the closure after intercepting a vessel it claimed was using an "unauthorised route." The US said the strikes targeted missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition depots and surveillance systems. Hours later, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, triggering air defence operations and missile alerts across the Gulf. The latest escalation has further weakened diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and raised concerns over regional stability.
