Major Gulf stock markets declined in early trading on Wednesday after ​the U.S. ⁠and Iran traded fresh strikes. Iran's Revolutionary Guards ‌said they attacked a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 ​other Gulf targets on Wednesday in retaliation for American strikes ​near the Strait ​of Hormuz, Iranian media reported.

The U.S. military said on X that it struck Iranian ⁠air defence systems, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the strait after President Donald Trump said Iran had downed a U.S. Apache helicopter on ​Tuesday.

The ‌clashes mark one ⁠of the ⁠biggest exchanges in hostilities since the two countries agreed to ​a ceasefire in April, deepening doubts ‌about the prospects for ⁠a deal to end the war that started on February 28. 

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index fell 0.3%, hit by a 0.7% fall in Al Rajhi Bank and a 0.3% decrease in oil major Saudi Aramco.

Oil prices edged lower in volatile trade on Wednesday after notching early gains. Brent futures fell ‌9 cents, or 0.1%, to $91.36 a barrel at ⁠0641 GMT.

Dubai's main share index ​lost 0.2%, with top lender Emirates NBD losing 0.9%.

In Abu Dhabi, the index eased 0.2%.

The Qatari index dropped ​0.3%, ‌with the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National ⁠Bank falling 0.3%.

(Reporting by Ateeq ​Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)