Iran attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, 2 Iranian diplomats expelled

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday it had carried out missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, reported Xinhua.

In a statement published by its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC said its Aerospace Division attacked the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, in retaliation for the United States' overnight attack on an IRGC communications tower on Iran's southern Qeshm Island.

The IRGC also said its navy fired missiles at a vessel named Panaya, which it described as affiliated with the United States and Israel, in response to a U.S. strike on an Iranian oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz that damaged the vessel's engine room.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on social media platform X that U.S. forces on Tuesday disabled the Botswana-flagged unladen oil tanker, M/T Lexi, as it sailed through international waters toward Iran's Kharg Island.

In another post, CENTCOM said U.S. forces on Tuesday conducted "self-defense" strikes on Qeshm Island in response to attempted Iranian attacks across the Middle East.

Iran tightened its grip on the strait beginning Feb. 28, when it barred safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following joint strikes on Iranian territory.

The United States has also imposed a naval blockade on the strait, preventing ships traveling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway.

The developments came as Iran and the United States have, over the past weeks, reportedly exchanged several proposed plans outlining conditions for peace through Pakistan's mediation, and are working to finalize a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.

Meanwhile, Kuwait on Wednesday summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires, expelled two Iranian diplomats and reduced the size of Iran's diplomatic mission in the country, reiterating its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country."

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Sulaiman Al-Mashaan handed an official protest note to Hamid Yaqoubi Far, chargé d'affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Kuwait, over the ongoing attacks.

The ministry said Kuwait had declared two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours.

Al-Mashaan said the decision was taken in response to what he described as "continued and blatant" attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones, which he said violated Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.

Reiterating Kuwait's position, Al-Mashaan said the country "categorically rejects" the use of its territory or airspace for hostile acts against any state.

The deputy minister also denied Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from Kuwait. He said the Iranian allegations against Kuwait are "baseless" and such claims could not justify attacks on Kuwaiti territory or civilian facilities.

The development came hours after Kuwaiti authorities reported fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks that targeted civilian and strategic facilities, including Kuwait International Airport.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the attacks killed one person, injured dozens of civilians and caused damage to key infrastructure as well as diplomatic premises.

Earlier, Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on Wednesday the resumption of all Kuwait Airways flights through Terminal 4 (T4) at Kuwait International Airport after Iranian attacks killed one people and injured 63.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the DGCA said the decision followed extensive field inspections and technical evaluations carried out by specialized teams and relevant authorities to verify the terminal's operational readiness and its ability to safely receive flights and passengers.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said one person was killed and several others injured after ballistic missiles and drones struck civilian and vital facilities across the country, including Kuwait International Airport, in attacks Kuwait attributed to Iran.

In a statement, the ministry strongly condemned what it described as continued Iranian attacks targeting key civilian infrastructure.

Later in the day, Kuwaiti health authorities said 63 people were injured in the attack, prompting the activation of emergency response plans and the mobilization of medical teams across the Gulf state.

Abdullah Al-Sanad, spokesperson for Kuwait's Ministry of Health, said in press statement that the ministry had been on full alert since the early hours of the attack and had implemented emergency measures to deal with the casualties.

Al-Sanad said hospitals received 63 injured people and carried out seven major emergency surgeries following the incident.

The injured included civilians, airport employees and travelers, he noted, adding that the casualties suffered a range of injuries, including fractures, head wounds, brain hemorrhages, amputations and blast-related injuries, as well as cases of smoke inhalation.

Meanwhile, IRGC said on Wednesday its navy has targeted a U.S. destroyer in the Gulf of Oman that sought to approach Iranian territorial waters.

In a statement published by its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC said its navy tracked U.S. "aggressive actions, violations of the regulations of the Strait of Hormuz and malicious acts against Iranian commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman," identified the command center aboard a U.S. destroyer, and struck it.

The IRGC said its navy is closely watching U.S. and Israeli "enemies" and will respond instantly to any hostile move.

The U.S. Central Command later denied the claim on social media platform X, saying U.S. military assets at sea continue to operate "safely and unimpeded."

Separately, the IRGC denied firing any missile or drone at a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, saying the damage to the terminal was caused by a malfunctioning U.S. Patriot missile system, according to Sepah News.