The war between the United States and Iran is once again spreading to the rest of the Middle East. In the early hours of Thursday 3 September, Tehran launched new missiles and drones against US military targets in Kuwait, continuing the retaliation begun after the latest wave of American bombings against Iran. Kuwaiti air defenses went into action to intercept the bombs.
However, the attack on Kuwait is only part of a larger offensive. In the last few hours, Iran has also struck or attempted to strike US-linked installations in Bahrain, Jordan and the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. It is the most serious escalation in recent months between Washington and Tehran.
According to Iranian state television, the attacks on American bases are a response to “crimes committed by America against the Iranian people.” Tehran claims to have caused damage to US installations and, in Iraq, also caused casualties among US soldiers. At the moment, however, Washington has not confirmed losses among its forces.
In Jordan, the authorities reported that 13 ballistic missiles crossed the country’s airspace: ten were intercepted, while the others fell in uninhabited areas. Bahrain also announced that it had shot down Iranian drones. In Kuwait, in addition to the interceptions carried out by the armed forces, an Iranian drone apparently caused a fire in a residential complex in the capital.
The new escalation after weeks of relative calm
Hostilities resumed after weeks of relative calm. The United States has carried out a new series of attacks against Iran, claiming to have targeted Revolutionary Guard infrastructure, radar and air defense systems, maritime assets and equipment that, according to Centcom, would also have been used to mine the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump has warned Tehran that the United States is ready to strike again. “We will hit them hard”, the American president had threatened, while the Iranian government promised an even heavier response in the event of new bombings.
Making the new escalation even more serious is the toll of civilian victims in Iran. According to the Iranian Health Minister, the latest US bombings have caused at least 18 deaths and 108 injuries.
Among the victims there are also some people shot during a wedding in the Sirik area, on the southern Iranian coast near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian sources provide slightly different accounts of the episode, but confirm the presence of numerous injuries and minors among the victims.