The Middle East conflict has escalated dramatically with Iran launching attacks on key US allies in the region. The assault, which includes Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, marks a significant escalation as renewed US strikes on Iran enter their second week. The strikes have targeted vital civilian infrastructure, including power and water desalination plants, prompting strong international condemnation and fuelling fears of a broader regional conflict.
Kuwait has accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilian sites and crucial infrastructure, such as the Sabiya Power Plant, which provides 70% of Kuwait's electricity. The country relies heavily on this plant due to its extreme aridity, with desalinated water making up approximately 90% of its drinking supply. As a result of the attacks, several Kuwaiti firefighters and a worker were reportedly injured battling blazes ignited by the strikes, while an oil facility in Kuwait was also targeted, causing injuries and significant material losses.
Regional neighbours Bahrain and Jordan have also been affected. In Bahrain, air sirens sounded on Saturday advising residents to seek shelter following detections of potential incoming drones or missiles, while Jordan's state-run Petra news agency confirmed that the kingdom's air defence systems had successfully downed Iranian missiles. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including hitting a US military support centre at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and targeting a site in Bahrain where US combat aircraft were gathered.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, condemned the attacks as "war crimes" and a "grave violation of international law and the United Nations Charter." He called for international accountability and prosecution for what he described as the deliberate targeting of civilian facilities. The US has confirmed that its strikes on Iranian targets are designed to "continue degrading Iranian military capabilities," targeting surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities.
Iran's health ministry has reported 50 fatalities and over 500 injuries from US hostilities since they resumed. Maj Gen Mohsen Rezaee, a senior military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, has warned that Tehran will resume "full-scale offensive operations" if US strikes persist for another two or three days, threatening that "no political border will be safe."