The US military launched a wave of strikes over the past hour against Iranian missile and air defence systems, as well as small boats, at various points around the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, one worker was killed and two others were injured.

The reports came shortly after explosions were heard at the port of Bandar Abbas and in the coastal area around Qeshm Island, in a further sign of the escalation continuing across the Gulf region.

Iranian strikes across the Gulf

An alarm went off at dawn in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain over Iranian attacks involving missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence announced that its air defence systems were activated to intercept missiles and drones launched from Iran. Explosions were heard in the Qatari capital, Doha, where an Agence France-Presse (AFP) witness saw missiles being intercepted, and residents received a message on their phones from the authorities urging them to stay indoors.

Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Ministry of the Interior urged citizens to remain calm and seek safe shelter.

Iran also attacked Oman, Kuwait and Jordan, targeting US military facilities.

In the past few hours, Oman issued a statement saying it had summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest over the attacks.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, describing the attacks on the country as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a breach of international law.

The ministry added that the continuation of such aggressive actions constitutes a dangerous escalation that will complicate efforts to contain the tension.

Qatar further stated that it holds Iran legally responsible for the attack and any consequences arising from it.

Trump: Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump said that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial vessels, despite the continuing exchanges of fire between the United States and Iran that have raised concerns over the safety of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

Trump made the comments during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press”.

He also said that Iran had agreed, just the previous day, to a deal he described as “perfect for us”. “Iran had agreed to a perfect deal for us. They had given up everything,” Trump said.

“Within an hour, they launched a drone attack on a ship,” he said, implying that the attack came almost immediately after the deal was reached.

Trump also launched a personal attack on Iran’s leadership, calling it “sick”, without offering further details about the deal he was referring to or the drone incident.

Earlier, US Central Command (CENTCOM), the US military body overseeing operations in the Middle East, announced that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels and that US forces “have taken up positions and are prepared” to safeguard freedom of navigation.