Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday, escalating regional tensions following recent U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic Republic. The attacks occurred amid ongoing disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas shipments.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the strikes targeting the two Gulf states. Kuwaiti authorities reported that their air defenses intercepted several Iranian drones and two missiles shortly after the U.S. conducted air operations within Iran. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in Kuwait. In Bahrain, a residential building near the international airport sustained damage, but no injuries were reported. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, though the building affected was not near the fleet’s headquarters.
The latest violence coincides with increased efforts by the U.S. Navy to expand a shipping corridor near Oman for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. This move aims to facilitate maritime traffic without Iran’s direct supervision, a step Tehran has repeatedly opposed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized Sunday that Tehran must maintain control over the strait, warning that any alternative arrangements would complicate efforts to reopen the passage and escalate tensions in the region.
“The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its location in Iran and Oman’s territorial waters,” Araghchi stated, underscoring Iran’s insistence on governing the passage. In recent days, Iran has attacked ships using a route near the Omani coast, further heightening volatility.
Meanwhile, talks between the U.S. and Iran on an interim agreement remain scheduled, with Pakistan playing a key role as mediator. Officials announced that negotiations would resume on Tuesday to discuss the framework established in a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month. The discussions are expected to address several issues including maritime arrangements, the lifting of a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, sanctions relief, and the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Despite the ongoing conflict, the U.S. administration maintained on Sunday that no cancellations had occurred and that technical talks proceed as planned. However, challenges persist, with continued fighting in Lebanon threatening to undermine the broader pact, which requires cessation of hostilities on all fronts before substantive measures can be implemented. The parties have a 60-day window from the memorandum’s signing to finalize these details.
The recent wave of hostilities illustrates the fragile state of diplomacy in the Gulf region, where military actions and strategic interests remain tightly intertwined.