DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has claimed responsibility for conducting overnight drone and missile attacks on military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. This announcement marks a significant escalation in hostilities and poses a serious threat to the ongoing negotiations aimed at achieving a permanent end to the war between Iran and the United States.
The statement from the Revolutionary Guard, published in the state-run IRAN newspaper, warned that continued U.S. military actions could lead to a "complete halt" of existing diplomatic processes. The Guard indicated that their targets included the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and Al Asad Air Base in Kuwait.
The provocative actions by Iran come in the wake of recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian positions, which the U.S. military described as necessary to protect interests in the region. These actions cast doubt on the interim deal established between Iran and the U.S., which creates a 60-day window for negotiation following a history of conflict.
Bahrain and Kuwait confirmed the attacks, noting that they were carried out in retaliation to U.S. strikes that had occurred recently. The multinational maritime coordination led by the U.S. Navy announced plans to expand shipping routes near Oman, potentially heightening tensions with Tehran.
The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed it targeted critical Iranian military infrastructure, including surveillance systems, air defense sites, and drone storage facilities, following an incident involving the Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku. The tanker had been transporting crude oil for Qatar's state-run energy firm and was attacked earlier in the week.
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation through a social media post, asserting that the U.S. had targeted Iranian missile, drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites in response to violations of the ceasefire agreement. He hinted at the possibility of a decisive military response if provocations continue, stating that if such an escalation were to happen, it could lead to the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This recent escalation is reminiscent of prior exchanges of fire, including an Iranian drone strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman just days earlier, which had provoked retaliatory strikes from U.S. forces.
Tracking data indicated that the Kiku vessel had departed from a Qatari oil field and was on its way to a port in the United Arab Emirates, navigating through alternative routes due to restrictions posed by Iranian territorial waters. The U.S. military underscored that Iran had disregarded opportunities to maintain the ceasefire and thus held responsibility for the subsequent conflict.
Iranian state television reported explosions taking place in regions north of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. strikes. Meanwhile, Kuwait's military reported that its air defenses had successfully intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, although details regarding damages remain undisclosed. Kuwait also hosts a major U.S. Army base, adding to the complexities of regional security.
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry condemned the Iranian actions as a dangerous escalation and emphasized that such attacks reflect a systematic pattern of aggression against its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens and residents. Bahrain is notably home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which had previously faced repeated assaults during the war.
