Fresh tensions have erupted in the Middle East following missile and drone attacks in Kuwait and renewed military exchanges between Iran and the United States around the Strait of Hormuz, despite an existing ceasefire.
Kuwait said on Thursday local time that missile and drone attacks had taken place inside the country, though its military did not disclose the locations or intended targets, reports AP.
Later, Iran said it had carried out a retaliatory operation in response to attacks earlier this week on a US base in the Gulf region, though Tehran did not specify the country involved.
Meanwhile, the US military claimed Iran launched missiles toward Kuwait late Wednesday night. Washington described the incident as a “serious violation of the ceasefire” against one of its closest allies in the Persian Gulf.
No group has officially claimed responsibility for the Kuwait attack so far. However, similar incidents occurred previously during tensions involving Iran, with Kuwait in the past blaming Iran and Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias.
The latest developments have raised fresh concerns over the future of the ceasefire in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding ongoing US-Iran negotiations.
The strategically vital Strait of Hormuz also remains partially closed. The narrow waterway once carried nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas trade and disruptions there have already triggered instability in global energy markets.
Analysts warned the crisis could worsen if the situation fails to improve.
At the same time, the United States is pressuring Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Tehran is demanding the removal of sanctions and the return of frozen assets to help revive its economy.
Earlier this week, the US said it launched “defensive” strikes targeting Iranian missile launch facilities, mine-laying boats and attack drones.
US officials said Thursday morning that American Central Command forces shot down four one-way Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington also claimed it struck a ground control centre in Bandar Abbas, where preparations were allegedly underway to launch a fifth drone.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard later acknowledged through state-run IRNA news agency that strikes had occurred near Bandar Abbas International Airport, a facility used for both civilian and military purposes close to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it targeted the airbase from which attacks against it had been launched, though it did not provide further details. It also remains unclear whether the operation was directly linked to the attack reported in Kuwait.
