Iran's army claimed Friday it launched attacks on strategic U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, escalating a five-month conflict that President Donald Trump now acknowledges could continue indefinitely despite significant damage to Tehran's military capabilities.
Tehran said it targeted aircraft shelters, satellite communication systems and equipment storage facilities at Kuwait's Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in a drone strike, according to state media. Iran's army also claimed it attacked U.S. facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain on Thursday, targeting power generators, navigation systems and support buildings.
The reported attacks followed Wednesday's heavy wave of U.S. strikes against Iran. U.S. Central Command said the strikes hit dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets, including command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defenses and maritime capabilities.
Trump's Candid Assessment
Trump told reporters Friday that Americans should be prepared for continued fighting with Iran, predicting Tehran would eventually "peter out" as U.S. strikes steadily weaken its ability to retaliate. Asked whether the back-and-forth attacks could continue until Iran was no longer capable of striking back, Trump said, "Yeah, sure, I think so. I'd be foolish to say no. You know, you always have to keep your guard up."
"They'll get weaker. They'll get a little stronger, maybe. But they'll get weaker, and then they peter out," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland. He added, "I think we just want to win. We're doing very well. We're trying to be nice — as nice as you can be in a situation like that — but they're being decimated."
Trump noted Iran's degraded military capacity. "They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft. It doesn't mean they don't have any capability. They have some, but very little," he said.
The White House said in April that U.S. forces had achieved the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, including destroying Iran's Navy and its ballistic missile and drone capabilities. Iran has nevertheless continued launching missiles and drones at U.S. bases and threatening commercial shipping.
Diplomatic Efforts Stall
Trump also said he was "losing faith" in the prospect of reaching a deal with Iran, accusing Tehran of lying about its negotiations with the U.S. "They do lie, and they do misrepresent," Trump said. "All they do is make me angry."
The remarks amounted to an acknowledgment that the five-month conflict could drag on, despite Trump's claims that the U.S. has decimated Iran's military and his optimism just days ago that renewed negotiations could produce a deal. The renewed fighting has left no clear end to the conflict as the U.S. approaches the November midterm elections, placing greater political pressure on Trump to explain how and when the war will end.
Trump's pessimism marked a sharp shift from earlier in the week, when he said the United States was engaged in "very friendly negotiations" with Iran and saw "a good chance" of reaching an agreement. Iran denied that direct talks were taking place but acknowledged that mediators were relaying messages between the two sides.
The renewed exchange followed the collapse of an agreement Washington and Iran reached in June that was intended to end the fighting and restore commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Hostilities resumed in July after Iran attacked vessels transiting the strategically vital waterway.
Oman, Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt have sought to revive the June agreement. Those efforts have stalled over control of the critical waterway, sanctions relief and Iran's nuclear program, while a new exchange of attacks has further dimmed the prospects of a deal.
Economic and Security Ripple Effects
Hamish Kinnear, Middle East and North Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said a drone attack on shipping in Egypt is a sign of Egypt's vulnerability to a widening conflict and indicates that the choke point of the Suez Canal is also a potential target. He said, "The expanding geographical range of drone and missile attacks on shipping this year – which encompass the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean – amount to a new era of maritime risk." He added, "The technological developments and targeting strategies pioneered in the cauldron of war in Ukraine and the Middle East are extending maritime risk well beyond established conflict hotspots."
Oil prices traded higher Friday morning after Iran's Fars said the IRGC stopped two tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The news agency, an IRGC-linked state media account, also said four other tankers had changed course. CNBC could not independently verify the report. International benchmark Brent crude futures with September delivery were last seen trading 0.6% higher at $89.53 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with September delivery rose 0.5% to $84.04.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump indicated that he'd like Congress to add tariffs on Iran to a sanctions bill against Russia and Tehran that has bipartisan support. Those duties would have little effect because the U.S. imports next to nothing from Iran, but tacking them onto the bill could hinder the chances of it becoming law.
Why This Matters:
The protracted conflict with Iran presents mounting fiscal and strategic challenges for the United States. Despite significant degradation of Iran's military capabilities, Tehran's continued attacks on U.S. bases and commercial shipping demonstrate the limits of military power alone in forcing a resolution. The disruption to global energy markets, evidenced by rising oil prices and threats to critical waterways like the Strait of Hormuz and potentially the Suez Canal, imposes real costs on American consumers and businesses. With midterm elections three months away, Trump faces growing pressure to articulate a clear exit strategy that protects American interests without indefinite military commitment. The collapse of June's diplomatic agreement and the stalling of renewed mediation efforts underscore the difficulty of achieving a negotiated settlement that addresses Iran's nuclear ambitions, sanctions relief demands, and control of vital shipping lanes. The expanding geographic range of maritime attacks signals a dangerous new era of risk that threatens global commerce and American economic interests far beyond the immediate conflict zone.