Iran shifts focus to Bahrain and Kuwait

As Iranian drones and missiles target Bahrain and Kuwait, air raid sirens have sounded in Bahrain as the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf remain on the front line of the confrontation between the United States and Iran. The United Arab Emirates suffered the largest number of Iranian attacks during the open conflict in March and April, but Tehran has since shifted its attention towards Bahrain and Kuwait, as reported by RFI.

Ships from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the same report.

Reasons behind the shift

Mahdi Ghuloom of the Dubai-based ORF Middle East think tank told RFI that long-standing tensions and the small size of the two countries are playing their part. "The first, I would say, is the long-standing historical tensions between Iran and these two countries. With Bahrain, there is this historical, propaganda-driven claim by Iran over the country," he said.

Animosity towards Kuwait intensified during the conflict after the country arrested agents of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who were attempting to enter the country, he added.

"It is therefore politically advantageous within Iran to target Bahrain and Kuwait because of these historical tensions," Ghuloom said. "I think the second reason relates to the small geographical size of these two countries. Iran can succeed in creating a climate of fear without too much effort." Explosions caused by the interception of drones and missiles can be heard across both countries, making it easier for Iran to achieve that effect.

Video footage released by Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Sepah News website on 14 July allegedly shows a missile being launched from an undisclosed location towards US targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to RFI.

Documenting the attacks

A video shared on Telegram on July 16, filmed for only a few seconds, documents an Iranian strike on Kuwait. The footage was recorded from the Iraqi border city of Umm Qasr, a location confirmed by the FRANCE 24 Observers team. Many Iranian attacks on Kuwait have been recorded and shared by Iraqis in the border region, according to FRANCE 24.

Since the conflict began on February 28, Iran has repeatedly responded to US and Israeli attacks by targeting US military sites in allied states across the Persian Gulf region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, all of which host US bases, as reported by FRANCE 24. However, images documenting these strikes are often fleeting and filmed from a distance.

Crackdown on documentation

Authorities in Gulf states have pursued repressive policies against anyone documenting the impact of Tehran's attacks. From the first days of the war, residents, journalists, tourists and expatriates have faced a severe crackdown, according to FRANCE 24. According to Amnesty International, more than 1,000 people have been arrested across these US-allied states for documenting Iranian attacks.

Mahmoud Shalaby, a regional researcher at Amnesty International, told FRANCE 24: "Since the beginning of the war, Arab countries across the Gulf have issued blanket warnings instructing citizens and residents not to film or share images of Iranian attacks on Gulf states. They then launched a crackdown. Gulf countries have used the war as a pretext to expand restrictions on freedom of expression."

Satellite images and smoke detection have been used to verify Iranian strikes, according to FRANCE 24.

Diplomatic efforts

Diplomatic efforts are underway between the US, Iran, and Gulf states to resolve the conflict, as reported by RFI.