Bahrain, Kuwait on High Alert As Iran Strikes Follow Fresh US Attacks
Bahrain and Kuwait sounded missile alerts and activated air defence systems on Thursday after Iran launched drone and missile attacks on US military installations in both countries, hours after the United States carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian targets. The exchange marks a serious escalation of the fragile ceasefire that had held since the earlier conflict between the two nations.
Bahrain and Kuwait sounded missile alerts and activated air defence systems on Thursday after Iran launched drone and missile attacks on US military installations in both countries, hours after the United States carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian targets. The exchange marks a serious escalation of the fragile ceasefire that had held since the earlier conflict between the two nations.
The US strikes came in response to Iran's attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier. Washington also revoked a license that had allowed Iran to sell crude oil openly on international markets.
US Strikes Target Iranian Military Assets
US forces struck Iranian sites including Bandar Salman in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait were then targeted by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in response. A US official told Reuters that American strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance facilities, surface to air missile batteries, anti ship cruise missiles, and drone launch sites. Why Iran Fired Missiles at Commercial Ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were among the targets hit, calling the operation a response to Iranian strikes on shipping that violated the ceasefire.
Iran Retaliates Against Bahrain and Kuwait
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they carried out a joint missile and drone operation against the US sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, and claimed to have shot down a US MQ 9 drone during the operation. The claims have not been independently verified. Iran Targets Bahrain and Kuwait After US Strikes and Limits Tehran’s Oil Sales Over Ship Attacks.
Kuwait's Armed Forces said they intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones that breached its airspace, with no casualties or damage reported. The Bahraini Defense Force said it intercepted and destroyed several Iranian missiles and drones aimed at civilian areas, and accused Tehran of continuing hostile action against the kingdom.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions Continue
Iran has maintained a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, disrupting global energy markets, as roughly a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas normally passes through the channel. A Qatari LNG tanker and a Saudi flagged crude oil tanker were both damaged near the strait a day earlier, prompting maritime authorities to raise the threat level for transiting vessels to severe.
Indirect talks held in Qatar last week ended without significant progress, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said negotiations on a final agreement would not resume while military threats continued.
Both Bahrain and Kuwait, which host major US military bases, urged residents to remain calm and follow official safety instructions as authorities continued to assess the situation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 09, 2026 07:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).