Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones toward Kuwait and Bahrain on Saturday, prompting air defence responses in both Gulf nations and further straining a fragile ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
Bahrain's government said Iranian missiles and drones targeting Bahrain and Kuwait were successfully intercepted and called on Tehran to immediately halt attacks against its Gulf neighbours, the Associated Press reported.
The attacks came hours after the US military said it had intercepted Iranian missiles and drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf allies, while also striking Iranian coastal radar sites in response.
Kuwait, Bahrain activate air defences
Kuwait's military said it was responding to ongoing missile and drone attacks. "Kuwaiti air defenses are currently responding to hostile missile and drone attacks," the military said in a statement on X, without identifying the source of the launches.
"The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirms that any explosions that may be heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile attacks," it added.
Bahrain activated air raid sirens and instructed residents to move to the nearest safe location and follow official guidance. In a strongly worded statement, Bahrain's foreign ministry condemned the attacks and accused Iran of violating the sovereignty of both Gulf nations.
"The ministry of foreign affairs strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Kingdom of Bahrain and the sisterly State of Kuwait," the ministry said.
Describing the strikes as a "blatant aggression", Bahrain said the attacks represented a serious breach of international law and the territorial sovereignty of both countries.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which hosts US forces, as well as the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.
The latest exchange comes amid growing confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and natural gas shipments.
The US military said it struck several Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites, including one on an island in the Strait of Hormuz, "to defend against further attacks."
US says seven missiles launched
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), Iran fired seven ballistic missiles toward Kuwait and Bahrain on Friday. US forces intercepted six of the missiles, while a seventh failed to reach its target. The military said there were no reports of injuries among US personnel.
The missile launches followed an earlier US operation in which four Iranian drones headed toward the Strait of Hormuz were shot down. "The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic," CENTCOM said.
Despite the renewed violence, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the situation. "The situation with Iran seems to be going quite well," Trump told reporters on Friday.
"We're going to come out of Iran very quickly and it's going to be very strong one way or the other, whether it's a piece of paper or the very tough way,"he said.
"The very tough way is maybe the easier way, but we're going to come out, and your fertiliser prices are going to go way down, just like they were four months ago," he added.
Regional tensions remain high
Tensions also remain high along the Israel-Lebanon border. Israeli forces carried out fresh strikes in southern Lebanon on Friday, killing nine people, according to Lebanon's state news agency.
The conflict in Lebanon remains closely linked to wider regional diplomacy, with Iran insisting that any lasting ceasefire arrangement must also address fighting involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The US has meanwhile expanded pressure on Tehran by targeting its energy sector with new sanctions and by intercepting a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean.
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