US takes down Iranian missiles launched towards Kuwait and Bahrain — CENTCOM

Lead

The United States military said it "successfully defeated" a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks in the Gulf on Tuesday, conducting what it described as "self-defense" strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island. The exchange came as diplomacy between Washington and Tehran showed little progress, with the conflict now closing in on 100 days.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbors, but all failed to hit their intended targets. "Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by US and Bahrain air defense forces," CENTCOM said in a statement.

Coverage comparison

Reports from multiple outlets, including Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, The Hindu, and TASS, carry similar accounts of the events. CENTCOM's statements were widely quoted, with the military asserting that no US personnel or assets were harmed in the attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait's state news agency KUNA reported that Iranian missiles and drones hit the country's international airport on Wednesday morning, causing injuries, damage to airport facilities, and flight suspensions and diversions.

However, a later report from the Jerusalem Post cited Iran's Revolutionary Guards as claiming that a failed US Patriot interceptor missile hit the Kuwaiti airport, not an Iranian strike. The US military dismissed this, saying Iran struck the civilian airport with drones in a "deliberate, calculated, and unjustified attack."

Key claims

CENTCOM's account

CENTCOM said it intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement on Tuesday, it said: "Iran launched several ballistic missiles towards regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets." It added that "an additional wave of Iranian drones attempting to attack US forces in Kuwait failed to impact intended targets," with several drones shot down. The US military also said it downed three attack drones launched by Iran "towards civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters."

CENTCOM denied claims by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it had struck the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and an airbase in the region. In a post on X, it said: "FALSE. All Iranian attacks on American forces failed."

Kuwait's report

Kuwait's state news agency KUNA said the country's international airport was hit by drones and missiles on Wednesday morning. It reported an unspecified number of injuries, severe damage to airport facilities, and flight suspensions and diversions. The attack on the airport's T1 building forced flight diversions to alternative locations, according to KUNA, citing the General Civil Aviation Authority.

Kuwait's Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Iran's Chargé d'Affaires and declared two members of Iran's diplomatic mission persona non grata, demanding their departure within 24 hours. Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan called Iran's claims that Kuwait bore responsibility for the attacks "baseless and unsupported by any evidence."

Iran's response

The IRGC said it attacked US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to US strikes on Iranian territory. According to Iranian media, the IRGC targeted the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and an airbase and helicopters in a regional country, in response to what it described as a US attack on a communications tower south of Qeshm Island.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that Iran's armed forces were "conducting self-defense strikes on sites the US is permitted to use to attack civilian shipping and violate the ceasefire." He warned that any aggression against Iran would be met with a resolute response.

In a later development, the IRGC claimed it hit 18 targets at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, and said it had fully closed the Strait of Hormuz, warning ships not to approach.

Perspectives

US military

CENTCOM described its strikes on Qeshm Island as "self-defense" and "a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression." It said the strikes targeted an "Iranian military ground control station" on the island, and that no US personnel were injured. CENTCOM also said traffic flow through the Strait of Hormuz "continues unimpeded" and that the waterway "remains open for transit."

Iran's Revolutionary Guards

The IRGC framed its attacks as retaliation for US strikes on Iranian territory. It said its naval forces launched missiles at a vessel identified as MSC Panaya, described as affiliated with US and Israeli interests. The IRGC also warned it was ready to deliver a "crushing and decisive" response to any further US attack.

Kuwaiti government

Kuwait condemned the attacks, calling them a "direct threat" to the lives of citizens and residents and a "dangerous escalation." The foreign ministry said the strikes caused damage to vital infrastructure, including diplomatic missions, and killed one person.

Bahraini government

Bahrain's interior ministry said air raid sirens had sounded and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place. Bahrain's military said its air defenses had "successfully intercepted and destroyed three missiles and several drones." The government denounced the attacks as "blatant aggression" and "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of both countries."

United Nations

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that "the Middle East is being pulled deeper into crisis & the consequences reach far beyond the region." He said: "This week has brought wider attacks and further deterioration where the ceasefire is more like a lesser-fire."