Big Trouble in the Gulf: Iran and US Trade Attacks (Explained Simply)

By Peter Barabas & Euronews Doha, Euronews Dubai
Published on 12/07/2026 – 6:42 GMT+2, Updated at 10:02

What’s This All About?

Imagine two groups are angry at each other. One is Iran (a country), and the other is the United States (another country) and its friends nearby. They are throwing big flying explosions at each other. This article tells you what happened in a very simple way.

Important: All the events below come from reporters on the ground. Some things Iran says it did are claims (meaning Iran says so, but others haven’t confirmed it in this story).

The Chain of Events (Step by Step)

Let’s look at the order of what happened, like a story:

1. Saturday night: Iran attacked a big ship (called a container ship) in a narrow water road called the Strait of Hormuz (a busy sea path where boats carry goods). The ship had a Cyprus flag (meaning it belongs to Cyprus). It caught fire, and the crew had to leave it. One sailor is missing.
2. US response Saturday night: The US military (called CENTCOM) said they hit about 140 targets in southern Iran. They wanted to stop Iran from hurting more ships. The US Defence boss, Pete Hegseth, wrote online just before the start of the US bombing: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
3. Sunday morning: Iran fired many missiles and drones (flying robots) at the same time at several countries in the Gulf area: Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait. Iran also said it hit Jordan and Oman.
4. Countries fought back: Those countries used their air defence (like sky shields) to catch the missiles before they could land.

What Happened in Each Country?

Here are the places that were attacked and how they reacted:

• Qatar:

  • Two waves of attacks early Sunday, over two hours, as big as the first days of the Iran war. Loud booms shook the city of Doha.
  • Qatar’s air defence caught many ballistic missiles (special fast rockets) above the capital. Euronews staff saw several interceptions and shockwaves.
  • The army said: "Qatar’s Armed Forces continue intercepting a number of ballistic missile attacks targeting the State of Qatar."
  • Phones got emergency alerts at 05:36 local time. People were told: stay inside, away from windows, threat level is high.
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said they targeted the Al-Udeid US airbase (the largest US airbase in the region) in Qatar and claimed they destroyed a command and control center and an aircraft maintenance facility.
  • Qatar says it intercepted the incoming missiles targeting that base.

• UAE (United Arab Emirates):

  • Their air defence also fought Iranian missiles and drones.
  • People were told to shelter. The government said the loud noises were just their defences stopping the attacks.

• Kuwait:

  • Army said they were fighting "hostile aerial targets" (bad things flying in sky) and told people to take cover.

• Bahrain:

  • Turned on its air defences to respond to Iran’s attacks.
• Jordan and Oman (claimed by Iran):
  • Iran says it hit a base in Jordan (Prince Hassan airbase) destroying facilities, and a port in Oman (Duqm port, used by US navy). These are claims not confirmed by those countries in the text.

Why Did Iran Do This?

Over the past days, Iran’s leaders in Tehran had warned: if the US hits us again, we will attack US targets inside the Gulf countries. That’s exactly what they tried to do, just like at the start of the war.

Important: Iran’s leaders believe they have sovereignty and control over the Strait of Hormuz and want any deals with the US to be fair. Iran’s speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (who is also top negotiator) wrote on X: “the era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking." This refers to the US-Iran framework deal to end the war.

What the US Said

The US military central command (CENTCOM) said their strikes hit 140 places to "degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait." That means they wanted to make Iran weaker so it can’t hurt normal ships.

Summary

To wrap up simply:

• Iran shot at a ship, US shot at Iran, Iran shot at many nearby countries.
• Those countries used shields to protect themselves.
• Iran claims it hit some US bases, but Qatar says it stopped the missiles.
• Leaders on both sides are using strong words.
• Everyone is told to stay safe indoors.

FAQ

1. What is a ballistic missile?
It’s a super-fast rocket that flies high and comes down to hit a target. Countries try to catch it with air defence before it lands.

2. What is the Strait of Hormuz?
It’s a narrow strip of water between Iran and Oman where many ships pass to deliver things around the world. If trouble happens there, ships can be in danger.

3. What does "intercept" mean?
It means to catch or destroy something in the air before it can cause harm, like a baseball player catching a ball before it breaks a window.

4. Why are people getting phone alerts?
Because the government wants to warn them quickly: "Danger! Go inside and stay away from windows!"

5. Is the war over?
Not yet. The article says this is ongoing, with both sides still exchanging attacks and warnings.