Online Desk with Al Jazeera: Tensions across the Middle East escalated sharply as the United States carried out attacks on Iranian military facilities, while Kuwait reported missile and drone attacks that Tehran described as retaliatory action against bases allegedly involved in operations targeting Iranian territory.
The US military said it launched strikes over the weekend against Iranian radar and drone facilities in the southern city of Goruk and on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington described the operations as “self-defense strikes” following recent confrontations with Iranian forces.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for attacks on a military base in Kuwait that it said had been used in an assault on Iran’s Sirik Island. Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting hostile missiles and drones, while the country’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned what it described as repeated Iranian aggression.
“Kuwait reserves the right to take all necessary measures to preserve its security and defend its territory,” the ministry said, calling the attacks a serious violation of international law and a threat to civilian safety and regional stability.
Iran defended its actions, arguing that countries hosting facilities used in attacks against Iran bear responsibility under international law. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would continue to take measures it considers necessary to safeguard national security.
The latest exchange highlights growing mistrust between Washington and Tehran despite a ceasefire announced earlier this year. Iranian officials accused the United States of repeatedly violating the truce, citing continued military operations, maritime restrictions and support for Israel’s regional actions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf alleged that Washington had failed to comply with ceasefire commitments, pointing to what he described as an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
At the same time, Iran signaled that diplomatic efforts remain stalled. Baghaei confirmed that no talks are currently taking place with the United States regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, stressing that Tehran’s immediate priority is ending the ongoing conflict rather than negotiating technical nuclear issues.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor, has emerged as a focal point of the confrontation. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi asserted that only Iran and Oman have the right to exercise sovereignty over the strategic waterway and said Tehran had introduced new measures to regulate maritime traffic in coordination with Muscat.
The regional crisis has also intensified in Lebanon. Israel continued air raids across southern Lebanon and reportedly expanded military operations beyond traditional buffer zones. Lebanese authorities reported multiple fatalities from drone strikes and air attacks in several towns.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for missile attacks targeting Israeli military infrastructure near Tiberias, saying the operations were carried out in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, ordered strikes against what he described as Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Analysts warn that the simultaneous escalation involving Iran, the United States, Israel, Hezbollah and several Gulf states risks widening the conflict across the region. While diplomatic channels remain open, recent military exchanges have deepened distrust among the parties and raised concerns about the durability of existing ceasefire arrangements.
The latest developments underscore the fragile security situation in the Middle East, where military confrontations, competing strategic interests and stalled negotiations continue to threaten broader regional stability.
