A series of airstrikes hit southern Iran on Thursday, striking areas across the country just as Iran prepared to bury its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strikes targeted regions including Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, along with the cities of Ahvaz and Chabahar. No party has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which occurred shortly after U.S. Central Command announced it had concluded a separate round of strikes hitting 90 targets inside Iran.
The timing raises questions about who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic beyond the known U.S. campaign. Iranian state media reported explosions and airstrikes across multiple provinces but stopped short of directly attributing the attacks to any party. The lack of a claim has left analysts and regional governments searching for answers as tensions remain high in the Gulf.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics of the Iran conflict have raised concerns about the broader escalation pattern following Thursday's strikes. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has previously called for renewed diplomatic engagement with Tehran to prevent further civilian harm. The caucus issued a statement warning that unclaimed attacks risk dragging the region into a wider war without congressional authorization.
Humanitarian organizations have also weighed in on the strikes hitting near populated areas. Save the Children reported monitoring potential displacement in affected provinces and urged all parties to distinguish between military targets and civilian infrastructure. The group noted that Iran's healthcare system remains under severe strain from earlier rounds of conflict.
Peace advocacy groups, including Code Pink, argued that mystery strikes undermine any pretext for diplomacy. "If attacks can happen without accountability, what incentive does Iran have to negotiate?" said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the organization, in a post on social media. The group has called for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative supporters of the administration argue that Iran's own actions invited continued military pressure. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that Tehran cannot expect leniency after years of destabilizing activities across the region. "Iran has targeted Gulf Arab partners, threatened global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, and held Americans hostage," Cotton wrote. "The U.S. response has been measured."
Defense hawks have also pointed to Israel's silence as potentially significant. Unlike previous Israeli operations against Iran, which Tel Aviv broadly acknowledged within hours, no claim has come from Jerusalem since June. Some analysts suggest this could indicate coordination with American forces or an intentional ambiguity designed to maximize pressure on Tehran.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton argued that Gulf Arab states have every right to defend themselves after Iranian strikes damaged energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates earlier in the conflict. "Saudi Arabia and the UAE didn't start this war," Bolton said in an interview with Fox News. "If they chose to respond, that's their sovereign decision." He noted that both nations launched airstrikes against Iran during earlier phases of the conflict after Tehran struck facilities on their soil.
What the Numbers Show
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to understanding the stakes. Roughly 20 percent of all globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the waterway before the war began in late February, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Iranian control efforts during the conflict have significantly disrupted shipping traffic.
Shipping data from analytics firm Kpler shows vessel transits through the strait dropped sharply this week: 22 ships crossed Thursday, down from 30 on Wednesday and 41 on Tuesday. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy, issued advisories urging mariners to use a southern route through Oman's territorial waters. A similar advisory earlier this week preceded an Iranian attack that struck three vessels.
Oil prices have fallen sharply from wartime highs near $120 per barrel but remain volatile amid continued uncertainty about strait access. The Iran war has now entered its fifth month, with neither side achieving decisive military victory despite multiple rounds of strikes and counterstrikes.
The Bottom Line
The mystery surrounding Thursday's airstrikes reflects the complexity of a multi-party conflict that has drawn in the United States, Israel, Gulf Arab states, and Iran itself. U.S. Central Command said it had concluded its own strikes before reports emerged of additional attacks, and spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment about who might have carried out the later operations.
Iran's response came swiftly: a volley of missiles targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar on Thursday evening. Missile alert sirens sounded across all four countries, with air defense systems intercepting incoming fire. One person was reportedly injured in Kuwait. The exchange again tested a fragile ceasefire framework that President Donald Trump described Friday as "OVER!" while adding that negotiations aimed at ending the war would continue.
The UAE leader traveled to Kuwait immediately after Iran's regional attack for meetings with Kuwait's ruling emir, and Gulf ministers held calls with Qatar's foreign minister, who has been central to mediation efforts alongside Pakistan. What happens next may depend on whether any party steps forward to claim Thursday's strikes — or chooses to maintain ambiguity as the conflict continues.