Gulf states issue alerts after new US strikes on Iran
Kuwait said its air defenses were responding to threats, while Bahrain told residents to seek shelter after sirens sounded.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Kuwait said its air defenses were responding to hostile missile and drone threats after new US strikes hit targets in Iran, according to Al Jazeera and Kuwaiti military statements. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry also told residents to stay calm and move to a safe location after sirens sounded.
The alerts underscored the risk of a wider Gulf crisis as fighting between the United States and Iran continued near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive shipping routes. Al Jazeera reported that the latest US attacks struck Iranian locations including Sirik and Qeshm Island.
Iranian sites reported hit
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said several projectiles hit telecommunications towers, according to Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar Atas, reporting from Tehran. Al Jazeera said Iranian officials had not issued an immediate statement from the government or the army.
IRIB also reported that four projectiles hit Bandar-e Lengeh in Hormozgan province after attacks on Sirik and Qeshm Island, Al Jazeera said. The reported strikes came after a drone attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera’s recap of recent developments.
Al Jazeera reported that the US attacks marked a second day of strikes on Iran and the sharpest military escalation since Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in Switzerland more than a week earlier. The outlet said US President Donald Trump accused Iran of violating the interim deal and threatened to “militarily complete the job that we very successfully started”.
Kuwait and Bahrain warn residents
The Kuwaiti military said air defenses were responding to “hostile missile and drone threats” and urged the public to follow safety instructions, according to Al Jazeera. The statement did not provide further details in the update cited by the broadcaster.
In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said “the siren has been sounded” and advised people to go to the nearest safe place, Al Jazeera reported. The ministry also asked residents to remain calm.
Al Jazeera’s Tehran correspondent said the Strait of Hormuz remained central to the confrontation. He reported that US officials view keeping the waterway open as vital for global stability, oil prices and lowering tensions among Gulf countries.
For Iran, control over the strait is a central bargaining tool in talks with Washington, Atas reported. He said Iranian officials and commentators see the waterway as a key point of leverage and believe losing influence there would weaken Tehran’s position at the negotiating table.
Lebanon front adds to tensions
Al Jazeera also reported that Israel bombed southern Lebanon, killing at least one person, a day after signing a framework agreement with Lebanon’s government to end hostilities. The broadcaster said Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected that agreement, calling it “humiliating”, “shameful” and “a surrender of sovereignty”.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked Trump to help stop Israeli violations and press Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera. The developments added another front to a fast-moving regional crisis centered on Iran, the Gulf and Lebanon.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.