DUBAI — Iran launched missile and drone strikes on targets in Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday, saying it had attacked U.S. military facilities in response to a fresh wave of American airstrikes, as the conflict widened across the Gulf and heightened concerns over regional security.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out coordinated attacks on the U.S. Fifth Fleet area in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, describing the operation as retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian military infrastructure. Iranian state media also reported that an American MQ-9 drone had been shot down during the operation, a claim that had not been independently verified.
Authorities in Bahrain and Kuwait activated air raid warnings as missiles and drones approached their territory. Kuwait's military said its air defense systems were engaging what it described as "hostile" aerial threats. Initial official statements acknowledged damage to some infrastructure, including facilities linked to water and energy operations, but did not immediately report fatalities.
The U.S. military earlier announced a new round of strikes against Iranian military assets, saying the attacks were intended to reduce Iran's ability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following recent attacks on commercial vessels. U.S. officials said the strikes targeted air defense systems, missile launch sites, coastal surveillance equipment and drone facilities.
Washington said the latest military action followed the deaths of two U.S. service members in an Iranian attack in Jordan. Iran rejected U.S. accusations that it had escalated the conflict and accused Washington of expanding the war through continued military operations.
The latest exchange further strained efforts to preserve an already fragile ceasefire framework. Gulf Cooperation Council members condemned attacks on their territory and called for restraint, while international leaders renewed appeals for de-escalation to prevent a broader regional conflict that could threaten global energy supplies and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials in Bahrain and Kuwait said security assessments were continuing as emergency services inspected affected sites. U.S. and regional authorities said they remained on heightened alert, while neither side indicated that military operations had ceased.
