Iran accuses US of attacks from Kuwait, Bahrain bases

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused the United States of carrying out dual strikes against Iranian targets from military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. The attacks hit an Iranian oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz and a communications tower on Qeshm Island, a ministry statement said. The ministry identified the two Gulf monarchies as the launch points for the early morning operations.

Speaking through the semi-official Fars News Agency, the ministry said it "strongly condemns" what it described as an "aggressive action by the terrorist US military." The statement framed the strikes as part of a broader pattern of American military operations against Iranian assets. No casualty figures or damage assessments were immediately released by either side.

Regional governments held responsible

The ministry accused Washington of using the territory and facilities of regional countries to stage attacks against Iran. The governments of Kuwait and Bahrain bear "direct and clear responsibility" for permitting the use of their soil, the statement said. It did not specify whether the strikes were conducted by manned aircraft, drones, or missile systems based at facilities in the two countries.

The accusation follows two months of escalating confrontation between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition. The war began on February 28 with American and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites. Tehran has since targeted shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments — and retaliated against Gulf Arab states hosting American forces.

Military posture in the Gulf

The US maintains major military installations at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, headquarters of the Fifth Fleet, and at Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. Both countries host thousands of American personnel and serve as forward operating hubs for air operations across the Middle East. Neither Kuwaiti nor Bahraini officials issued immediate statements on the Iranian accusation.

The Strait of Hormuz has seen repeated disruptions to commercial traffic since late February, with energy prices rising in both Europe and Asia. More than 3,300 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to figures cited by regional monitors. At least 13 US service members have also died in the conflict.