JULY 10, 2026
Unclaimed airstrikes hit Iran after U.S. concludes its attacks, raising questions about who launched them
A series of unclaimed airstrikes struck southern Iran on Thursday shortly after U.S. Central Command announced it had concluded a round of attacks hitting approximately 90 targets. The strikes hit Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, as well as the cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar. Iran responded by launching missiles targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar, where air defense systems intercepted incoming fire and one person was reportedly injured in Kuwait.
U.S. Central Command announced around 6:30 a.m. local Iran time Thursday that it had finished a round of strikes against approximately 90 targets inside Iran. Shortly after that announcement, Iranian state media and news outlets reported additional airstrikes and explosions in areas including Bushehr province, Sistan and Baluchestan province, Ahvaz, and Chabahar. Central Command did not respond to a request for comment about those additional strikes, according to the Associated Press.
No government has claimed responsibility for the follow-on strikes. Iran's government has not directly blamed any specific country, though an Iranian lawmaker, Esmail Kousari — a member of parliament's national security committee and a former Revolutionary Guard commander — warned that the UAE would "pay the price for its cooperation with the United States," accusing the Emirates of having a "behind-the-scenes" role in the U.S. attacks. Gulf Arab states did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During the broader conflict, which the AP reported began February 28, a series of similarly unclaimed airstrikes also occurred. Officials later said both Saudi Arabia and the UAE had launched strikes on Iran after Tehran targeted energy infrastructure in those countries. The AP noted that a Gulf country striking Iran again could serve as a deterrent against further Iranian attacks on Gulf states.