Iran says it struck 18 US military targets in Kuwait, Bahrain

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps announced early Thursday that its forces had struck 18 major US military targets across Kuwait and Bahrain, including vital airbases and naval communications facilities, as Tehran retaliated for recent American attacks on southern Iran. The IRGC said the coordinated offensive involved ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles launched against installations housing thousands of American troops.

Strikes hit bases hosting American forces

The IRGC named Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmad Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait alongside Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain as primary objectives, stating that precision munitions had targeted Patriot air-defense batteries and Fifth Fleet command infrastructure. Iranian military sources said suicide drones were also launched toward the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama in a bid to disrupt communications networks and radar systems.

Elite force vows no retreat

An IRGC statement said Iranian forces are prepared to confront the enemy "until the last breath" and will not retreat until Washington is "punished" for its aggression. The declaration came hours after Pentagon officials confirmed extensive American strikes against military sites in southern Iran, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict that has already claimed hundreds of lives on both sides.

Regional tensions have soared since hostilities erupted late last month, with Tehran and Washington trading missile and drone attacks across the Persian Gulf. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has faced severe disruptions as Iranian forces repeatedly targeted vessels linked to US allies, according to maritime security monitors.