RUSSIA PERSPECTIVE
THIRD WAVE OF US STRIKES ON IRAN AS GULF STATES ARE HIT
DOMINANT ANGLE
Moscow denounces a planned escalation by Washington and relays the Iranian thesis of legitimate defense, while emphasizing the collapse of the June agreement on the Strait of Hormuz.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Moscow, July 13, 2026. For the Russian press, the third wave of US strikes against Iran in one week confirms the collapse of the memorandum of understanding signed on June 18. According to Vedomosti, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claims to have destroyed approximately 140 Iranian military targets in a single night, bringing the total number of strikes to over 300 in three nights — missile and drone sites, naval installations, ammunition depots, communication networks, and coastal observation posts. Meduza reports that the US justifies the campaign due to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) attacks on civilian ships, including the Cypriot container ship GFS Galaxy, which was set on fire, leaving one sailor missing, according to RT.
Tehran retaliated by striking US bases in the Gulf: ballistic missiles hit the Al-Udeid base in Qatar, where three residents, including a child, were injured by interception debris, Kommersant reports; refueling platforms in Duqm, Oman; a communication and radar center in Bahrain; and a Patriot battery in Kuwait. The IRGC also claims to have destroyed a command center and hangars for MQ-9 drones at Prince Hassan base in Jordan.
RIA Novosti retraces the escalation: Tehran's announcement to close the Strait of Hormuz "until the end of US interference in the region," IRGC attacks on two merchant ships accused of violating passage rules, and then the resumption of US strikes. Kommersant emphasizes that the disagreement centers on control of the strait, a central and ambiguous clause in the June agreement, which is now null and void, according to the newspaper, citing a region "on the brink of a new war."
TASS relays the Iranian position: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei describes the Iranian strikes as "legitimate defense" against "flagrant and unprovoked aggression" by the US and Israel, dismissing warnings from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. President Trump had announced the end of the ceasefire on July 8; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated on X that Iran "made a bad choice" and "is paying the price," a quote repeated by RT.
KEY POINTS
- Moscow reports that CENTCOM claims to have struck around 140 targets in one night and over 300 strikes in three nights
- Iranian forces targeted US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Jordan, resulting in three injuries, including one child, in Qatar
- Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei frames the strikes as a "legitimate defense" in response to what he presents as US-Israeli "aggression"
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Russia's perspective frames the narrative around Iran, with several Russian media outlets detailing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' version and Iran's diplomatic stance.
Russian media shows a preference for official sources, such as CENTCOM and Iranian agencies, leaving little room for independent civilian accounts.
The Gulf Arab states' positions receive limited coverage, with official reactions from Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait largely underdeveloped beyond damage assessments.
SOURCES (6)
RTCenter
STATE-CONTROLLEDSTATE MEDIA
TASSCenter
STATE-CONTROLLEDSTATE MEDIA
KommersantCenter
MEDIUM
MeduzaCenter-left
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