Why is Iran bombing Gulf states while avoiding US naval assets and Israel?

Key Points:

• Iran is retaliating against US strikes by targeting civilian and military infrastructure in Gulf states and Jordan, deliberately avoiding US naval assets and Israel to pressure the US without escalating the war.
• Iranian attacks on Gulf countries, particularly Kuwait and Bahrain, are justified by Tehran as responses to US operations allegedly launched from these territories, though Gulf states deny allowing their lands to be used for attacks on Iran.
• Gulf analysts reject Iran’s claims, stating US strikes primarily originate from naval carriers near Iran’s coast, and criticize Iran’s targeting of civilian infrastructure as a violation of international law and a tactic that isolates Tehran further.
• Experts agree neither the US nor Iran seeks full-scale war, with both sides selectively targeting to avoid escalation, while Gulf states are urged to reduce dependence on the US and develop new regional security frameworks.
• The conflict risks escalation if civilian casualties increase, with Iran attempting to assert control over strategic areas like the Strait of Hormuz, though allied groups such as the Houthis have so far avoided involvement to minimize losses.