Iran attacks Kuwait and Bahrain following US airstrikes on Iranian sites
Regional tensions have escalated as Iran targets U.S.-allied nations in response to American airstrikes, threatening the survival of a fragile ceasefire.
Regional tensions in the Middle East reached a new peak on Sunday, 28 June 2026, as Iran launched retaliatory drone and missile strikes against Bahrain and Kuwait. The attack followed a series of U.S. Military strikes on Iranian coastal facilities, deepening an impasse in fragile ceasefire negotiations and threatening to unravel months of diplomatic efforts.
The U.S. Military said on Saturday (June 27, 2026) it had struck 10 targets in Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction, continuing a string of attacks that have shaken the war’s uneasy ceasefire. U.S. Central Command, in a post to social media, said that U.S. Military aircraft targeted Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities” following an attack on a merchant vessel early on Saturday morning (June 27, 2026). President Donald Trump, addressing the escalation on social media, stated:
Media additions
"United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites for violating the Ceasefire Agreement, AGAIN!"
“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Retaliation and Regional Response
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday (June 28, 2026) that it carried out strikes against Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for U.S. Attacks on Iranian territory, warning any further aggression would be met with a “crushing response”.
The impact of these strikes was felt across the Gulf region throughout the day on Sunday, 28 June 2026:
- Bahrain: Bahrain’s air defences intercepted Iranian missiles and drones today, the Gulf kingdom’s military said, after the U.S. Carried out new strikes against Iran.
- Kuwait: Kuwait came under attack from “hostile” missiles and drones, the country’s army said on Sunday (June 28, 2026).
The Guards “destroyed eight important U.S. Military facilities at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and at the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman in Bahrain,” they said in a statement.
Diplomatic Impasse
The renewed violence occurs against the backdrop of a broader geopolitical struggle over the Strait of Hormuz. Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight sparked the crossfire now gripping the region and imperiled negotiations for a lasting ceasefire.
Diplomatic mediation continues despite the deteriorating security situation. Iraq does not support expanding the scale of the war on the Gulf states, and does not back attacks on Iran, Fuad Hussein told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is visiting Baghdad. The Guard statement, carried by the state-run Iran newspaper, represented the sharpest threat yet to talks over the interim deal struck between Iran and the U.S.
What to Watch Next
| Event/Focus | Status |
|---|---|
| Ceasefire Status | Highly unstable; both sides accuse the other of violations. |
| Strait of Hormuz | Continued conflict over navigation routes and control. |
| Diplomatic Talks | At risk of total collapse; potential for further confrontation. |
| Military Posture | U.S. And Iranian forces remain on heightened alert. |
As of Sunday, 28 June 2026, the situation remains fluid. Iran said today it was determined to defend its sovereignty after the latest U.S. Strikes on the country, as a fragile truce in the West Asia war hung in the balance.
