Iran’s Army announced on Wednesday a new drone offensive against United States military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, marking a further escalation in the conflict between Tehran and Washington. Iranian authorities said they struck air bases, military depots and logistics centers, while Bahrain activated alarm sirens and Kuwait reported that its air-defense systems intercepted multiple threats.
In a statement released by Tasnim, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Army said the Al Azraq base in Jordan—where F-18 fighters were stationed—along with a barracks building and a large US military equipment warehouse, was attacked with drones.
Shortly after, the same military body said it carried out “a new wave of drone attacks” against that Jordanian facility, targeting F-18 fighters and large US military equipment warehouses. Justifying the operation called “Lightning,” the Army said that “the era of hits in the face is over and any action against the land, waters and skies of this historic country will not go unanswered nor without a proportional cost.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also reported a parallel offensive against US facilities in Bahrain. In a statement via Tasnim, it said that “in a simultaneous missile and drone operation, fighters from the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Force destroyed several weapons and spare-parts depots for enemy ships and aircraft at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain.”
Hours later, another statement from the same organization said that a “management center, a command-and-control center, large warehouses of spare parts and military equipment, and fuel tanks of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain have been destroyed.”
Regarding Kuwait, the Guard said its forces “also attacked the ramp where enemy MQ-9 drones were deployed at the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait, destroying or damaging several of them.” Later, the military body added that “the main US military preparation and support center in West Asia, located at Mina Abdullah, Kuwait, was set on fire and destroyed.”
The Guard also warned that “as long as US atrocities persist in the region, not a single drop of oil or gas will be exported, and these aggressions will only delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.” According to Tehran, the maritime passage remains closed by Iranian decision, while Washington says it is containing the Islamic Republic through a naval deployment.
Iranian authorities presented this offensive as part of a new phase of their counterattack against US military operations. That campaign has also included attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and strikes against US military assets in various Middle Eastern countries.
After Tehran’s announcements, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry confirmed the activation of emergency alarms. In a message on social media it reported that “the siren has been activated” and urged citizens and residents “to remain calm and go to the nearest safe place.”
In Kuwait, the General Staff of the Armed Forces said its air-defense systems “are responding to hostile drone threats.” It also clarified that “any explosions heard are the result of the interception of hostile targets by the air-defense systems,” and asked the public to “follow the safety instructions” issued by the authorities.
Hours earlier, the Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Colonel Saud Abdulaziz al Atwan, reported that Kuwaiti forces detected a ballistic missile, five cruise missiles and 33 drones, all “intercepted and neutralized” during Tuesday afternoon and night. The official also warned of “material damage” caused by debris that fell in various locations.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense said the Iranian attacks targeted “vital and civilian facilities” and also recalled the attack on a ship of its Navy, an incident that left four service members injured during the day.
(With information from Europa Press)