On paper, the deal seemed clear: a two-week pause in hostilities, provided Iran agreed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. An announcement which targeted the entire region and which immediately reassured the markets, with a barrel of oil falling back below 100 dollars. But on the ground, the reality is much more confused – and above all, much more violent.
Because since this morning, the attacks have continued. Tehran remains faithful to the line it adopted since February 28, the day after the death of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei : maintain pressure on its Gulf neighbors, at all costs. In the last hours, Saudi Arabia announced that it had intercepted and destroyed nine drones. The information was relayed on X by the spokesperson for its Ministry of Defense. Few details, however, on the targeted areas, but for Riyadh, the origin is in no doubt: these devices come from Iran.
Earlier in the morning, Kuwait described an even more tense situation. The authorities speak of a “ wave of intense attacks » directly targeting the country. According to the Ministry of Defense, the strikes began at 8 a.m. and continued for several hours. Even though around thirty drones were intercepted, several infrastructures were affected: oil installations, power plants, but also desalination plants. And this is undoubtedly the most worrying point. In this region where fresh water is scarce, these installations are essential: in Kuwait, they provide around 90% of drinking water. Faced with this major risk, the army ensures that it remains fully mobilized to contain the attacks.
An attack on the peace process
The situation is just as tense on the side of United Arab Emirates. Since the ceasefire came into force, the country claims to have been targeted by a series of strikes: 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones, according to its Defense Ministry. Most were intercepted, but not all. During the night, a gas complex was hit, leaving three people injured. Same observation at Bahrainwhere a drone attack left two people lightly injured this Wednesday morning in the Sitra region. The authorities also mention damaged homes, hit by debris after the interception of the device.
Faced with these accusations, Iran does not deny. Tehran takes responsibility for its strikes and presents them as a direct response to attacks against its own oil installations. State television notably mentions a strike on the refinery on the island of Lavan, which occurred a few hours earlier. According to the Iranian authorities, the fire was brought under control quickly and no casualties were reported. For their part, theare Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced Wednesday that they had shot down an Israeli-made drone in southern Iran, warning of a “ceasefire violation” and threatening to always have his finger on the trigger.
These violations of the ceasefire provoke reactions. A great architect of stopping the fighting by liaising with Washington and Tehran, Pakistan believes that they “ undermine the spirit of the peace process », regretted the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a message published on the social network I sincerely and strongly urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the two-week ceasefire, as agreed, so that diplomacy can play a leading role towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict “, he concluded.
