Hostilities in the Middle East escalated again on Wednesday as Iranian attacks struck Kuwait International Airport, injuring over 60 people and killing one, while the United States carried out military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. These developments mark the latest breakdowns in a fragile ceasefire agreed upon in early April.
The attack on Kuwait involved Iranian drones and missiles, which caused significant damage to airport facilities and diplomatic missions, leading to the suspension of flights temporarily. Kuwaiti authorities subsequently allowed Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways to resume operations after implementing safety measures. In response, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry formally protested to the Iranian embassy, condemning the ongoing attacks and announcing measures to reduce the Iranian diplomatic presence, including declaring two Iranian diplomats persona non grata.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for assaults on multiple targets, including the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, a US airbase, and a vessel identified as Panaya. However, the US Central Command denied that its bases had been hit and reported that Iranian ballistic missiles failed to reach their intended targets. The US military further stated that the strikes near the Strait of Hormuz were defensive, targeting missile launch sites, Iranian boats attempting to deploy mines, and locations on Qeshm Island following attempted Iranian attacks.
Iranian officials defended their actions as self-defense against US military activities they perceive as violations of the ceasefire, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warning on social media that any hostile acts would be met with immediate and decisive responses. Conversely, Iranian state media cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as denying responsibility for the damage at Kuwait airport, attributing it instead to failed US interceptor missiles. The US military rejected these claims, asserting that Iranian drones deliberately targeted the airport.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict, remains largely closed. The United States and Iran had signaled tentative progress toward an initial agreement to halt hostilities and reopen the strait last week, but no formal deal has yet been signed. Iranian military adviser Mohsen Rezaei emphasized that Iran would not allow the US to overreach in negotiations or ceasefire terms and warned that aggression would provoke further missile and drone attacks.
Amid the rising tensions, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates president, called for a unified Gulf response to what he described as aggression targeting the entire region, not just individual countries.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump indicated ongoing efforts to secure a deal to end the conflict, focusing especially on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, though he acknowledged pressure to address rising domestic fuel prices. Trump asserted in a recent interview that Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear arms and confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was involved in negotiations. However, Iranian media reported that communications with the US had recently stalled due to Iran’s demands related to fighting in Lebanon, which it wants ended as part of any broader arrangement.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll, with thousands dead primarily in Iran and Lebanon, disrupted global energy supplies, and a renewed round of violence between Israel and Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon killed several people and targeted a car near Beirut. Israel also intercepted a hostile aircraft believed to be launched by Hezbollah. President Trump disclosed having called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “crazy” during a heated phone exchange about the Lebanon fighting as he pressed for a wider ceasefire. Netanyahu acknowledged the existence of tactical disagreements with Trump but affirmed agreement on major issues regarding Iran.