Iran launched a major missile and drone attack on US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait on Tuesday after American forces struck what Washington described as an Iranian military facility, sharply escalating tensions and raising fresh concerns over the future of a fragile regional ceasefire.
According to US Central Command, the confrontation began when American forces enforcing a naval blockade against Iran disabled an oil tanker attempting to reach Iranian ports. US officials said a Hellfire missile struck the vessel’s engine room, preventing it from continuing its voyage.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps offered a different account, saying the United States had targeted an IRGC communications facility south of Qeshm Island. The site is believed to be the same location US officials described as an Iranian military ground-control station.
In response, Tehran launched missiles and drones at the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a military airbase in Kuwait. US, Bahraini and Kuwaiti defence systems intercepted the incoming threats, and no damage was reported. Kuwait’s military said its air-defence units engaged several projectiles, while Bahrain activated warning sirens across the kingdom as a precaution.
Despite the latest escalation, US President Donald Trump said contacts with Tehran remain ongoing and dismissed reports that diplomacy has collapsed. However, negotiations over a draft framework agreement remain unresolved, with neither side’s leadership yet approving the proposal. Late Tuesday, US officials reported a second wave of Iranian drone attacks targeting American forces in Kuwait, but said the drones were intercepted before reaching their targets.
