US Strikes Iran Nuclear Sites; China Hits Back at US
In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, US forces struck areas surrounding Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant and multiple other targets in southern Iran on July 9, prompting retaliatory ballistic missile and drone strikes from Tehran against American military positions across five countries. Separately, China’s Foreign Ministry forcefully rejected US criticism over the timing and detail of Beijing’s recent submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test, accusing Washington of “typical double standards and hegemonism.”
US Strikes and Iranian Retaliation
According to Xinhua News, US forces struck multiple locations in Iran’s southern coastal provinces early on July 9, including areas around the Bushehr nuclear power plant and two bridges along the railway line eastward to Mashhad. Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as violations of the UN Charter and the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, calling them “war crimes.”
Bushehr provincial health authorities reported three deaths and 15 injuries from the US strikes, as NBD reported. The US Embassy in Jordan was urgently closed, with American citizens advised to seek shelter.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force retaliated by launching 10 ballistic missiles targeting the US “command and control center in West Asia” and the Azraq air base in Jordan, according to Xinhua. Iran employed the “Kheibar Shekan” new-type ballistic missile and cruise missiles against US vessels anchored off the coast of Bahrain. In a coordinated multi-domain response, Iran also used large numbers of attack drones to strike US Patriot air defense systems in Kuwait, US satellite antennas in Qatar, and US fuel storage facilities in Bahrain.
Regional states were directly affected. Kuwait intercepted one cruise missile, three ballistic missiles, and 10 drones, reporting one injury. Qatar issued alerts, Bahrain sounded air raid warnings three times, and Jordan intercepted eight Iranian missiles. Alarms also sounded at Harir Air Base in Erbil, Iraq.
Diplomatic Maneuvers
President Donald Trump, returning to the US after the NATO summit, told reporters that Iran “called not long ago, they are very eager to reach a deal,” as Xinhua reported. Pakistan and Qatar have established new contacts with both the US and Iran to halt military attacks and promote a return to negotiations, according to Iranian media.
China’s Missile Test Dispute
On a separate but geopolitically interconnected front, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on July 9 responded to US criticism that Beijing’s notification of an SLBM test was too late and lacked sufficient detail. As The Paper reported, Mao stated: “The US organizes nuclear submarine strategic missile launches every year, yet it criticizes China’s normal missile launch. This is typical double standards and hegemonism.”
China conducted the SLBM test on July 6 at 12:01, firing a missile with a training simulated warhead into the Pacific Ocean. According to CCTV News, Mao described the test as “a routine arrangement of annual military training, aimed at verifying the reliability, safety, and effectiveness of relevant weapon systems,” adding that it complied with international law and did not target any specific country.
This was China’s second public test of strategic nuclear forces in under two years, following an ICBM test in September 2024. Lianhe Zaobao noted that both tests occurred amid a sustained anti-corruption campaign within the People’s Liberation Army, raising questions about whether the campaign undermines or strengthens China’s military capabilities.
Analysis and Implications
The convergence of these two crises presents a complex multi-front challenge. The US is simultaneously engaged in active military conflict with Iran while navigating a diplomatic dispute with China over strategic weapons testing protocols. China’s framing of the US position as hypocritical — given America’s own nuclear arsenal and annual submarine missile launches — positions Beijing as a responsible nuclear power operating within international norms.
Iran’s demonstrated ability to strike targets across five countries using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones signals a sophisticated multi-domain capability that complicates US military planning in the region. The involvement of Pakistan and Qatar as mediators suggests diplomatic channels remain open despite the escalation.
What to Watch For
The status of the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes remains a critical concern, as does the extent of damage to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility. Whether the US-Iran memorandum of understanding can be salvaged through Pakistani and Qatari mediation will be a key indicator of whether this escalation can be contained. Meanwhile, the US-China dispute over missile test notification protocols underscores the fragility of strategic communications between the world’s two largest economies at a time of heightened global tensions.