Iran Strikes US Military Bases in Kuwait and Bahrain

TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for launching attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for United States (US) strikes on Iranian territory, while warning that any further aggression will be met with a “crushing response.”

Iran and the US have traded accusations of violating a fragile ceasefire, thereby jeopardising negotiations aimed at ending the war in West Asia.

In a statement, the IRGC claimed to have “destroyed eight key US military facilities” at the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet Naval Base at Port Salman in Bahrain.

“Any enemy aggression, under any pretext, even against targets deemed minor, will receive a crushing response,” the statement read.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) brokered by Pakistan in mid-June was intended to bring a lasting end to the war. The agreement, signed by Iran and the US, stipulated that both countries and their allies would not initiate war or military operations against each other and would refrain from threats or the use of force.

However, US forces launched attacks on Iran for a second consecutive day on Saturday in response to an alleged Iranian attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The US stated its aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence sites, drone storage facilities, and mine-laying capabilities.

Under the MoU, Iran had agreed to allow safe passage for commercial vessels without any charges for 60 days through the Strait of Hormuz, from the Persian Gulf to the Oman Sea and vice versa.

The IRGC stated that measures have been taken to control shipping traffic in the strait and warned that any vessels violating the arrangements would face stronger action than before.

Iran previously issued a warning that no ships should pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission. This warning came after Oman, which shares the opposite coast with Iran, suggested alternative routes for commercial shipping.

According to Iran, currently only one shipping corridor along its coastline is permitted for use.

In a televised address, a senior IRGC commander said the attacks were limited and precise, but that Iran’s missile capabilities could reach any US base in the region if the conflict escalates.

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s government has condemned the attack and called for restraint, while Bahrain has yet to issue an official response to the incident.

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