Iran launched 7 missiles at Kuwait, Bahrain — US military

Iran fired seven ballistic missiles toward Kuwait and Bahrain on Friday, US military officials confirmed, marking one of the most direct escalations against Gulf nations since the broader regional conflict began. The strikes came hours after US forces had already intercepted four Iranian one-way attack drones in the same theatre.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement posted to X that its forces successfully intercepted six of the seven missiles launched by Iran. The seventh, it said, “did not reach its intended target.” CENTCOM was unequivocal in rejecting Iranian claims of significant damage, stating:

On the ground, AFP correspondents in both countries reported hearing the strikes firsthand. In Kuwait, multiple explosions were detected in areas near Kuwait International Airport, and the Kuwaiti military confirmed it was responding to what it described as “hostile” missile and drone attacks. In the Bahraini capital Manama, an AFP correspondent reported hearing both explosions and interceptions as air raid sirens sounded across the city.

The missile salvo followed a separate and earlier Iranian drone attack on Kuwait International Airport that had already drawn international condemnation. That strike killed one person and injured 63 others. Kuwait officials formally “condemned Iranian aggression” in its wake. Tehran, however, denied responsibility for that attack, attributing it to what it called “an error in the American Patriot systems” — a reference to the US-supplied anti-missile battery deployed in the region.

In a development that underscored Washington’s shifting posture in the Gulf, the US State Department announced on Friday its approval of a $1.98 billion arms sale to Kuwait, centred on counter-drone technology supplied by defence company Anduril. Justifying the sale, the State Department stated:

The latest round of exchanges represents a significant fracture in the ceasefire that had been brokered by Pakistan and took effect on April 8 — forty days after US and Israeli forces struck Iran on February 28, triggering the broader conflict. While the ceasefire had largely held through sporadic exchanges, Friday’s coordinated missile launches signal a sharp deterioration in the fragile arrangement.

The strikes also raise renewed concern over the security of Gulf energy infrastructure and the safety of commercial shipping in the region, with analysts warning that further escalation could have far-reaching consequences for global oil markets and regional stability.