Reactions and statements from the international community
On December 15, 2025, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, while missiles launched by Iran toward Kuwait and Bahrain were intercepted or failed to reach their targets.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed today that they launched missile and drone attacks on the U.S. 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a U.S. air base in the region. However, U.S. Central Command confirmed that all Iranian attacks failed and U.S. forces remain prepared to defend against further aggression.
The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, which began on April 8, broke down as Iran continued to harass merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and imposed a $2 million "environmental fee" on passing ships, prompting a U.S. naval blockade.
The U.S. Treasury designated Iran's largest digital asset exchange Nobitex and three additional Iranian exchanges (Wallxe, Bitpin, RamzineX) for processing over 50% of Iranian crypto inflows in 2025 and facilitating transactions linked to the IRGC, sanctions evasion, and terror finance. Key Nobitex leadership, including chairman Amir Hossien Rad and CEO Seyyed Ali Khoee, were also sanctioned under Executive Orders 13224 and 13902 as part of the Economic Fury campaign.
Republican U.S. Congressman Brian Mast stated that the Democrats in the House of Representatives are the second-greatest threat to the United States after the IRGC, accusing them of acting as a proxy force for the Islamic Republic and hindering President Trump's efforts to achieve a lasting peace with Iran.
Iran has announced a three-day state funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial U.S. and Israeli military strikes at the onset of the Iran war. The specific dates for the funeral will be announced later.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an Arabic statement warning of Hezbollah terrorist activity in the city of Tyre, specifically noting recent observations of dozens of Hezbollah operatives inside the Christian neighborhood, threatening further action if the operatives do not leave.
Sen. Marco Rubio stated that, except for Iran and possibly Oman, other countries do not agree with the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, carrying the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has moved from the CENTCOM area of responsibility in the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific, where it will join the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group operating in the Philippine Sea.
The Trump administration is pressuring Oman to sever ties with Iran, according to U.S. and Arab officials who spoke to the Wall Street Journal. Oman was shocked by a previous threat from Trump to bomb the country if it collaborates with Iran in collecting transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
Bloomberg reported that due to tensions and war in the Middle East, some liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers have turned off their identification systems while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a high-risk practice known as "sailing dark," to avoid attacks and seizures in the strategically vital waterway.
Bloomberg reported that major gas producers like Qatar are changing and abandoning traditional shipping rules due to rising tensions, maritime route instability, and concerns about the future of the Strait of Hormuz, which could have long-term consequences for global energy trade and maritime security.
