US downs 6 Iranian missiles, 4 drones in Gulf exchange
Why it matters: The strikes hit traffic near the Strait of Hormuz and prompted Bahrain sirens as oil and gas route risks climbed.
The U.S. military intercepted six Iranian ballistic missiles and four drones on Friday after they were launched toward Kuwait, Bahrain and the Strait of Hormuz, then struck Iranian coastal radar sites in response. U.S. Central Command said a seventh missile did not reach its target and there were no reports of harm to U.S. personnel. Bahrain activated air raid sirens and urged residents to seek shelter, while Kuwait said its forces were intercepting incoming threats. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, cited by IRNA, said it targeted Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The exchange further strained a fragile ceasefire and raised pressure on a vital shipping corridor for global oil and natural gas.