The Iran conflict has entered a severe new phase of escalation – day 96 – as Iranian ballistic missiles and drones struck US military bases across Kuwait and Bahrain in the early hours of Wednesday, while a drone strike broke through Kuwait’s air defences and hit the main passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, killing one Indian national and wounding 63 others.
Kuwait’s Health Ministry confirmed that 63 casualties were distributed across seven hospitals, with seven patients requiring urgent major surgery. Injuries ranged from blast wounds and amputations to head trauma and cerebral haemorrhages. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait confirmed the death of one of its nationals in the attack, expressing its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and saying the mission is closely coordinating with Kuwaiti authorities to provide all possible support.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed responsibility for coordinated missile and drone attacks targeting Ali Al-Salem Air Base and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, as well as the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. However, US Central Command rejected those claims, saying all Iranian attacks against American forces had failed and that missiles and drones aimed at Bahrain and Kuwait were intercepted or did not reach their targets.Kuwaiti authorities, meanwhile, reported damage at Kuwait International Airport after an Iranian drone strike. Terminal One sustained significant structural damage, forcing the suspension of commercial flight operations and the diversion of incoming aircraft to other regional airports.
The IRGC said the attacks were retaliation for recent US military actions, including a Hellfire missile strike on the Botswana-flagged tanker M/T Lexie as it attempted to reach Iran’s Kharg Island despite a US naval blockade, and a US strike on a communications facility on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran described both actions as acts of aggression and warned that further responses could follow.
The latest exchange marks a significant escalation in tensions across the Gulf, raising concerns about the security of regional airspace, shipping routes, and critical infrastructure.
The diplomatic backdrop has grown increasingly volatile. Iranian state-linked agencies reported Tuesday that Tehran had halted communications with mediators regarding an extension of the ceasefire a claim US President Donald Trump publicly disputed, insisting talks were continuous. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, acknowledged Iran was showing “new flexibility” on its nuclear programme, with Tehran agreeing to discuss aspects it had previously refused to put on the table. Rubio nonetheless held firm on Washington’s position of zero enrichment as an absolute condition for any deal.
