Iran attacks US bases in Kuwait and UAE following American airstrikes

Iran claimed Thursday to have launched missile and drone attacks against military bases used by U.S. Forces in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The retaliation follows a U.S. Bombing campaign that Tehran says killed at least 18 people on Tuesday night, including four civilians at a wedding celebration in the southern Hormozgan province.

President Donald Trump characterized the Tuesday operation as a very heavy attack on the Islamic Republic's military. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated the U.S. Destroyed new equipment Iran had built along the Strait of Hormuz because they took a shot at us in Jordan. He warned that the U.S. Is prepared to launch further strikes anytime we want.

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In the Sirik district of Hormozgan, the U.S. Strikes reportedly hit a private home during a wedding party. IRIB state television reported that three missiles struck the location, leaving a five-foot crater in the floor. Ali Mallahi, a local fisherman and father of the bride, described the event as a very saddening incident via state media, adding, Thank God the casualties were not higher.

The Iranian Ministry of Health stated late Wednesday that the Tuesday strikes killed at least 18 people and wounded 108. While the ministry did not provide a full breakdown, other Iranian authorities identified the dead as four civilians at the wedding, four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Aerospace Force, two navy members, and one Basij paramilitary member. A local hospital chief told state TV that of the 70 people admitted with injuries, 11 remained under treatment, including five in intensive care, noting that most of the wounded were women and children.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told CBS News that the military is looking into the reports. He repeatedly stressed that the U.S. military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC.

Iran has responded by formally altering its defense doctrine. First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref announced that U.S. Actions shifted Iranian security calculations toward asymmetric and multilayered tactics. In a social media post, Aref stated the response would be asymmetric, multilayered and depriving the aggressor of security. He warned that dark months await the U.S. Economy and urged Americans to stockpile fuel.

The Iranian army's retaliation on Thursday targeted the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, where it claimed to hit radar systems and personnel locations. In Kuwait, Iran claimed to have hit fighter jet hangars, warehouses, and satellite installations at the Ahmed Al-Jaber Air Base. Kuwait's foreign ministry condemned the attacks as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a serious breach of international law.

In Kuwait City, a residential complex caught fire after being hit by a hostile drone, according to Kuwait Fire Force spokesman Brigadier General Mohammed Al-Gharib. He reported no casualties and only limited material damage. The Kuwait Army stated its air defenses intercepted incoming threats, noting that any explosions heard were the result of those systems.

The conflict is exerting pressure on global energy markets. International benchmark Brent crude traded Thursday above $97 a barrel, its highest point since July 23. According to AAA, the average U.S. Price for a gallon of regular gas hit $4.12 on Wednesday, nearly a dollar higher than one year ago.

Inside Iran, a U.S. Naval blockade of ports has led to fuel shortages. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on citizens to curb gas consumption on Tuesday as long lines formed at Tehran filling stations. Iranian border guards recently arrested 11 foreigners on a tugboat carrying 382,000 liters of diesel fuel.

Discrepancies have emerged regarding U.S. Casualties in the war, which began February 28. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick claimed on CNBC that there had not been American deaths. President Trump corrected this in a social media post, stating: 18 people were killed in Iran!

All 18 U.S. Forces killed in the war died outside of Iranian territory, according to reports from yahoo.com and CBS News. Meanwhile, the USS Abraham Lincoln docked in Thailand on Wednesday after an uninterrupted deployment of more than 250 days. Reports have surfaced regarding shortages of food and hygiene products and deteriorating mental health among the ship's 5,000 service members.

Administrative confusion persists over the status of U.S. Operations. While the Pentagon and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that "Operation Epic Fury" ended May 5, a CBS News report citing an Air Force email from August shows personnel were only then instructed to stop using the name.

The conflict has also spilled into commercial shipping. The Saudi shipping company Bahri confirmed that two Filipino sailors were killed Monday night in a security incident involving the vessel SIDR in the Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, the IRGC claimed two tankers caught fire after striking mines while using what Tehran called an illegal route urged by the U.S. Military.

The U.S. Navy continues to enforce its blockade, with CENTCOM reporting as of Wednesday that it has redirected 86 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two to ensure compliance.