Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles and drones at US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain on Tuesday, marking one of the most dangerous action-reaction exchanges of the ongoing conflict. According to CENTCOM, American forces had acted in direct response to the Iranian offensive, with the military stating that "U.S. forces successfully defeated multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and conducted self-defense strikes on Qeshm Island in response to attempted attacks by Iran across the Middle East, June 2." The IRGC confirmed that the missile strikes were carried out in retaliation for what it called "the arrogance and blatant aggression committed by the terrorist American forces" following the US military's targeted strikes against Iranian radar and drone capabilities on Qeshm Island. Iranian state media claimed missiles were launched toward Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base, both of which host U.S. military personnel, while reports also emerged of sirens sounding in Saudi Arabia, though officials had not immediately confirmed an attack.
Kuwait International Airport's Terminal 1 passenger building was struck by hostile drones on Tuesday in Iran's ongoing missile and drone offensive against the Gulf state, according to Kuwait's official military statement. Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, the official spokesman for Kuwait's Ministry of Defense, confirmed the strike and attributed it directly to Tehran, stating that "A number of hostile drones targeted today the passenger building (T1) at Kuwait International Airport as a result of the criminal Iranian aggression, which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries to a number of individuals, who received the necessary medical care." This represents a significant escalation from the initial reports of attacks on military bases, as the T1 building at the international airport serves as a critical hub for passenger operations. The US military had earlier confirmed that two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, while three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by U.S. and Bahraini air defense forces. US Central Command added that Iran launched ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours but all failed to hit targets, demonstrating the limited effectiveness of Iran's military response despite the scale of the attack.
Following the attack, flights are reportedly evacuating or holding positions in the airspace near the Persian Gulf including Dubai and the UAE, according to Jewish Breaking News. Kuwait immediately shut its airspace, while airline services in the UAE and Kuwait were affected amid escalating regional tensions, as reported by multiple sources. Bahrain also shut its airspace, while airline services in the UAE and Kuwait were affected amid the ongoing tensions. Parts of the Middle East have reportedly faced flight disruptions after Iran allegedly targeted Kuwait and Bahrain, prompting precautionary measures across the region. Several airlines have cancelled flights to and from several parts of the Middle East including Dubai amid the ongoing tensions. The flight disruptions include Greece's largest airline Aegean cancelled flights to Dubai till August 31, and to Erbil and Baghdad until July 2, while Air Baltic has suspended flights to Tel Aviv till June 28 and flights to Dubai until October 24. Air Canada has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai till September 7, and Air France KLM cancelled flights to Beirut and Dubai till June 17.
Iran's state-run broadcaster IRIB asserted that American military installations stationed within Kuwait had been struck in direct retaliation for what Tehran characterised as Washington's aggressive actions spanning the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and Qeshm Island. According to the Iranian state broadcaster's specific narrative: "Following the hostile actions of the U.S. in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and Qeshm Island, American bases in Kuwait were hit." While the claims of successful strikes on foreign assets could not be independently corroborated, the entire cross-border friction unfolds against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating regional stability following recent direct military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
US Central Command announced that the strikes were on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz, that is home to a desalination plant, according to the latest CENTCOM statement. This represents a significant escalation as Qeshm Island is located in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping lanes and a focal point of recent tensions involving Iran. The latest attack comes after Iran allegedly stopped communicating with mediators about extension of a ceasefire with the US, according to multiple reports, though US President Donald Trump denied such a claim and said talks are still underway, as reported by PTI. The military action represents a direct response to what the US characterised as Iran's continued aggressive actions across the Middle East region.
