Iran Claims Drone Strike on US Air Base in Kuwait After American Airstrikes
Sarah Shamim
Iran claimed on July 31 that it had used drones to strike US military facilities at Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, citing retaliation for American airstrikes on Iran the previous day. The US has not yet responded, and details of damage or casualties remain unconfirmed. The incident heightens fears of a broader regional conflict.
Iran's military announced on July 31 that its forces had launched drone strikes targeting strategic US military facilities at Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, describing the operation as retaliation for recent American airstrikes.
In a statement carried by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, the military said it had targeted aircraft hangars, satellite communication systems, and equipment storage with drones.
According to the statement, the attack was in response to US airstrikes on a residential area on Iran's Qeshm Island. The Kuwaiti base was described as a key US hub for aerial surveillance and combat support in the region.
The United States has not yet responded to Iran's attack, and details of damage or casualties remain unconfirmed.
US Airstrikes on Iran on July 30
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had struck dozens of targets belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) inside Iranian territory overnight on July 29. Three people were killed on Qeshm Island when a residential building was hit.
Explosions were also reported in Fars Province, Kish Island, Bushehr Province, Khuzestan Province, and Hormozgan Province. The IRGC subsequently vowed retaliation.
According to Iran's Fars news agency, the IRGC said that "with the help of Almighty God, the aggressor will be punished" on July 30 itself.
Also on the morning of July 30, Jordan's Armed Forces announced that its air defense systems had intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran aimed at Jordanian territory.
Kuwait's Defense Ministry reported that a worker was killed in an Iranian attack on a building belonging to a Chinese company in the north of the country. On July 31, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had confirmed the attack had not affected Chinese citizens and urged Kuwait to take measures to protect Chinese citizens and institutions.
Fears of Widening Conflict
Recent attacks in Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq, along with strikes on ships in the Red Sea and Caspian Sea, have raised concerns that the conflict could expand geographically.
Since July 20, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces have declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia and attacked ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis accuse Saudi authorities of imposing an "unjust siege" on them for nearly 12 years.
On July 30, Saudi Arabia announced plans to form a multinational maritime defense coalition to protect international shipping and energy routes in the Red Sea.
An Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea was struck by Ukrainian UAVs. Iran summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran to protest, while Ukraine said it was targeting Russian warships and vessels carrying military goods linked to Iran.
Egypt confirmed that a fire on July 30 damaging two ships at Damietta port was caused by drones. Reuters sources said a UAV had struck the US-owned gas carrier Energos Winter, causing the fire to spread to a second vessel. Iran denied involvement.
In Iraq on July 30, the US and Saudi Arabia announced strikes on Iran-backed armed groups there, accusing them of drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. On July 31, IRNA reported that the bodies of five IRGC members killed in the US-Saudi airstrikes had been returned to Iran.
Analysts believe the most likely scenario is that tit-for-tat military strikes between Iran and the US will continue, alongside diplomatic efforts involving Gulf states.
