Iran blames Kuwait, Bahrain for US strikes as Gulf tensions escalate
Iran has accused Kuwait and Bahrain of bearing “direct and clear responsibility” for recent US military strikes on Iranian targets, as a new wave of missile and drone attacks intensified tensions across the Gulf region.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry alleged that US forces launched attacks on an Iranian oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz and a communications facility on Qeshm Island using military facilities located in Kuwait and Bahrain. Tehran said the two Gulf states had enabled the operations and therefore shared responsibility for their consequences.
Read also: Missile strikes rock Gulf Region as Iran launches retaliatory attacks on U.S. military assets
The accusations followed overnight exchanges between Iranian and US forces that threatened to further undermine a fragile ceasefire established earlier this year. According to US Central Command, American forces conducted what they described as “self-defence” strikes on military control facilities on Qeshm Island after intercepting Iranian missiles and drones targeting regional allies and maritime traffic.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by launching missile and drone attacks that it said targeted US military assets in the Gulf, including facilities linked to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and American installations in Kuwait. Iranian media described the strikes as retaliation for the attacks on Qeshm Island and an Iranian tanker near the Strait of Hormuz.
The confrontation had immediate regional consequences. Kuwaiti authorities reported that missile and drone attacks damaged parts of Kuwait International Airport, killing one person and injuring dozens. Air defence systems intercepted several incoming projectiles, while commercial flight operations were temporarily disrupted.
In neighboring Bahrain, warning sirens sounded as air defence systems were activated against incoming threats. US and Bahraini officials said missiles aimed at the kingdom were intercepted before reaching their targets.
Read also:IRGC launches strike on Kuwait air base as Iran escalates response to US military violations
Iran maintained that its military actions were a legitimate response to what it called violations of ceasefire understandings and acts of aggression against its territory and maritime assets. Tehran also warned that any country facilitating attacks against Iran could face repercussions.
The latest escalation comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to preserve a ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel. Regional mediators have expressed concern that continued military exchanges could trigger a wider conflict in the Gulf, particularly around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global energy supplies passes.
Kuwait and Bahrain have not publicly accepted Iran’s allegations and have repeatedly condemned attacks on their territories, calling them violations of their sovereignty and threats to regional security.
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