Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said early Wednesday it had launched attacks against US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, marking another escalation in the conflict as the United States continued military operations against Iran and renewed restrictions on Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet’s command-and-control facilities, logistical centres, petroleum installations and military equipment in Bahrain, along with a US base in Kuwait. Iranian state media described the strikes as retaliation for recent American military operations and efforts to control maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by local media, the IRGC warned that if Washington continued trying to restrict regional oil and gas exports by controlling key shipping routes, Iran would seek to disrupt other energy corridors serving US and allied interests. The statement declared that regional energy exports would be “for everyone or for no one,” although it did not specify which routes could be targeted.

Missile warning systems were activated in Bahrain and Kuwait as Iranian projectiles approached. Jordanian authorities said their air defence systems intercepted three incoming Iranian missiles, while Kuwait’s military reported repelling Iranian drone attacks. Iran also claimed it had targeted US military facilities at Jordan’s Azraq Air Base for a second time.

US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, confirmed that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighbouring Gulf countries.

The latest exchange came after the US military carried out a fourth consecutive night of operations against Iranian targets. According to US Central Command, fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels conducted a seven-hour mission targeting Iranian missile and drone sites, naval assets and coastal defence systems.

CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that normally handles around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.

President Donald Trump also renewed warnings that the United States could expand its campaign if diplomatic efforts fail. In a televised interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, Trump said Washington would eventually target Iran’s energy infrastructure unless Tehran agreed to return to negotiations.

“We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re gonna knock out their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump said, adding that energy facilities remained potential targets.

The latest hostilities have cast further doubt over a temporary agreement reached in June after the United States lifted an earlier blockade of Iranian shipping to allow negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Talks have since stalled as military confrontations around the Strait of Hormuz intensified, raising concerns about regional security and the stability of global energy supplies.

France has announced it will summon Russia’s ambassador after accusing Moscow of orchestrating a large-scale cyber campaign targeting government institutions, businesses and critical infrastructure across Europe.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the move follows what authorities describe as a coordinated series of cyberattacks carried out for espionage and sabotage purposes. Speaking in an interview with BFMTV/RMC, Barrot said France would also introduce sanctions against nine individuals and four entities allegedly linked to the operation.

According to Barrot, the cyber campaign was directed by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and affected 10 European countries, including France, in recent days. He said the attacks were aimed at gathering sensitive information and disrupting essential services.

“The targets included ministries, companies and service operators,” Barrot said, adding that some operations appeared intended to sabotage infrastructure. He pointed to Poland as an example, saying rail infrastructure there had been targeted during the campaign. He did not provide additional details about the incidents or identify the other countries affected.

The French government said the decision to summon the Russian ambassador is intended to seek an explanation from Moscow regarding the alleged activities. Paris also plans to move ahead with sanctions against those it believes were involved in planning or carrying out the cyber operations.

Barrot said France had been able to identify and respond to the attacks because of improvements made to its cybersecurity capabilities in recent years.

“We have significantly strengthened our defences against these cyber attacks,” he said, noting that the country’s enhanced monitoring systems had helped detect the intrusions.

The latest accusations come amid continuing tensions between Russia and European governments over cybersecurity and regional security. Western nations have repeatedly accused Moscow of using cyber operations to gather intelligence, disrupt public services and interfere with critical infrastructure. Russia has consistently rejected those allegations, denying involvement in cyberattacks and acts of sabotage across Europe.

Cybersecurity has become an increasing priority for European governments as digital threats against public institutions, transport networks and private companies continue to grow. Several countries have expanded investment in cyber defence and intelligence-sharing in response to concerns over state-backed hacking groups.

France has not disclosed the full scope of the latest attacks or the extent of any damage caused. Officials have also not released the identities of the individuals and organizations facing sanctions.

The diplomatic move signals another escalation in already strained relations between Paris and Moscow, with cybersecurity emerging as one of the key areas of confrontation between Russia and European nations. French authorities said they will continue working with European partners to strengthen cyber resilience and respond to future threats targeting the region’s digital infrastructure.

Germany is falling well behind most European countries in the installation of smart electricity meters, raising concerns as the continent accelerates its transition toward renewable energy and more flexible power systems.

Smart meters have become increasingly important as Europe relies more heavily on electricity generated from wind and solar energy. Unlike traditional power sources such as coal, gas and nuclear plants, renewable energy production depends on weather conditions, making it more difficult for grid operators to balance electricity supply with demand.

The devices automatically transmit electricity usage data to energy suppliers, eliminating the need for manual meter readings while allowing consumers to monitor their energy consumption more closely. They also enable households to access time-of-use tariffs, which offer lower electricity prices during periods of lower demand or higher renewable energy generation.

Energy experts say smart meters can help reduce pressure on electricity grids by encouraging consumers to run energy-intensive appliances, charge electric vehicles or operate heat pumps when renewable power is abundant. This improves grid efficiency and reduces the need to curtail renewable energy production when electricity supply exceeds demand.

The International Renewable Energy Agency has also highlighted the growing importance of battery storage in supporting renewable energy, estimating that Europe will need to expand battery capacity tenfold to meet its 2030 climate and energy targets.

Despite these benefits, progress across Europe has been uneven. The European Union’s 2009 Third Energy Package called on member states with positive cost-benefit assessments to install smart meters in at least 80 percent of households by 2020. Six years after that target, overall deployment across the bloc stands at roughly 60 percent.

The European Commission has since proposed new targets calling for at least half of all consumers to have smart meters by 2030 and 65 percent by 2033.

Several European countries have already achieved near-universal coverage. Denmark has reached full deployment, while Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal and Spain each report coverage of around 99 percent. Italy, one of the earliest adopters, completed widespread installation more than a decade ago. France has reached 94 percent, the Netherlands 90 percent and Ireland 84 percent. Great Britain has installed smart meters in around 70 percent of households.

Germany remains the clear outlier. According to data from the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, only about 2 percent of German households had advanced smart meters installed by 2024, the lowest rate among Europe’s major economies. Although the country introduced mandatory installation requirements for certain consumers in 2025, rollout has continued at a slow pace.

Analysts say wider adoption of smart meters could deliver significant savings for consumers while helping electricity networks manage growing demand from electric vehicles, home batteries and heat pumps. The technology is also expected to play a central role in supporting community energy projects and reducing the overall cost of integrating renewable energy into Europe’s power system as the transition to cleaner electricity gathers pace.