The situation in the Middle East has sharply escalated after the US armed forces completed their third series of air strikes against Iran within the past week. According to an official statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM), US forces attacked a total of 140 military targets in Iranian territory on the night of July 12. The operation is aimed at Tehran's ability to threaten shipping, following renewed attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time as the US offensive, a wave of tension swept the neighboring Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. Powerful explosions shook the Qatari capital Doha. In response to the immediate threat, the emirate's Ministry of Interior immediately activated the national alert system and urged citizens and residents of the country to stay in their homes, not to approach windows and avoid open spaces. Hours later, the Qatari Ministry of Interior announced that the security threat had been successfully eliminated, and air defense systems had neutralized the danger.
Meanwhile, neighboring Bahrain also came under fire. Authorities in Manama officially announced that the kingdom's security forces had repelled an Iranian air strike targeting targets in the country. Local military sources confirmed that air defenses had intercepted several enemy targets, preventing serious damage and casualties on its territory. According to regional observers, the escalation seriously jeopardizes international efforts to restore a ceasefire in the region.