Since February, Kuwait has become a frequent target in the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran and the United States, reigniting fears rooted in the traumatic 1990 Iraqi invasion. The Gulf state’s close proximity to Iran and its role as host to approximately 13,500 U.S. military personnel have made it vulnerable to a series of intense missile and drone attacks attributed to Tehran and Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias.

According to data from the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Kuwait has endured nearly 1,400 missile and drone strikes since the conflict began, second only to the United Arab Emirates. Attacks have intensified particularly following the collapse of a short-lived ceasefire between Washington and Tehran earlier this month.

Recent strikes have targeted several critical infrastructures in Kuwait, including U.S. military bases, the international airport, oil facilities, power plants, and water desalination units that supply over 90 percent of the country’s drinking water. The damage to power infrastructure has led authorities to urge residents to reduce energy consumption despite summer temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards issued a statement early on urging the Kuwaiti population to “seize every opportunity to destroy the institutions of the aggressor Americans.” This has heightened concerns among Kuwaitis, some of whom had previously experienced relatively cordial relations with Iran, including regular pilgrimages from the country’s Shia minority to shrines within Iran.

Kuwait has traditionally taken a more restrained stance toward Tehran compared to some Gulf neighbors like Bahrain and the UAE, the latter of which has contemplated joining a naval coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz and reportedly conducted secret air strikes against Iran earlier in the conflict. However, while the UAE has moved toward de-escalation recently and avoided direct Iranian attacks during the latest flare-up, Kuwait remains a focal point of Tehran’s strikes, alongside Bahrain and Jordan. Saudi Arabia has faced only a single missile attack linked to Iran during this period.

Experts emphasize Kuwait’s geographic limitations, noting that its small size and densely situated strategic targets increase its vulnerability. Bader al-Saif, an assistant history professor at Kuwait University, described the recent attacks as unprecedented in scale and intensity, suggesting that the strikes go beyond immediate wartime objectives and reflect broader regional tensions and frustration.

The conflict has disrupted Kuwait’s economic model, which relies heavily on oil exports that make up roughly 90 percent of government revenue. Production has reportedly dropped from about 2.5 million barrels per day pre-conflict to as low as 500,000 barrels daily due to attacks on oil fields and restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz. Import disruptions have also adversely affected businesses and contributed to rising prices.

Financially, Kuwait benefits from the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), often cited as the world’s oldest sovereign wealth fund. Analysts suggest that recent constitutional suspensions ordered by Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah might facilitate government access to these funds and enable debt issuance to manage the crisis.

The country has deployed U.S.-made Patriot missile defense systems to counter incoming attacks but continues to face threats from drones launched by Iraqi Shia militias operating along its northern border. In March, three U.S. F-15E fighter jets were downed in Kuwait in what U.S. officials described as an “apparent friendly-fire incident.”

In May, Kuwaiti authorities announced the arrest of several Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers accused of attempting to infiltrate the country by sea to conduct hostile operations, a claim denied by Iran. These developments have stirred unease among Kuwaitis striving to rebuild ties with Iraq after decades of tension.

Residents like Dana, a 50-year-old translator, express a profound sense of insecurity. She explained the collective anxiety is less about the immediate violence and more about the fear of losing the stability and normalcy they once took for granted. “That the safest place can suddenly become unsafe,” she said, capturing the growing unease among the population as the conflict expands.