Iran Kills One in Strike on Kuwait Airport

Kuwait Summons Iran's Top Diplomat
IRGC Raises Issue Over U.S. Attack on 'Lexi'

As the United States and Iran continue negotiations to end hostilities, tensions in the Middle East have flared up again after Iran launched large-scale missile and drone attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 3rd (local time), the Kuwaiti government announced that it had intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones from Iran’s airstrike in the early hours of the day. As a result, operations at the international airport were temporarily suspended.

One Indian national was killed and 63 people were injured in this attack. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s top diplomat to lodge an official protest and expelled two lower-ranking Iranian diplomats.

Bahrain was also targeted in the attacks. The Bahraini Ministry of Defense stated that it intercepted three missiles and numerous drones aimed at civilian facilities. So far, no casualties have been reported.

Iran’s airstrike on Kuwait is interpreted as a retaliatory attack against the United States. The incident occurred immediately after the United States attacked the sanctioned oil tanker 'Lexi' in an effort to block Iranian oil exports. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that the vessel was heading to Iran’s Kharg Island and had attempted to violate the American maritime blockade.

The Lexi was a vessel added to the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions list in March. An American aircraft disabled the ship by launching a Hellfire missile into its engine room.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed that new tensions were sparked by the U.S. attack on the Lexi. In a statement, the IRGC said that the missile strike was carried out in retaliation for the American attack on communication facilities on Qeshm Island.

Following this, Iran launched kamikaze drones at civilian vessels passing through the Persian Gulf, and the United States, after shooting down three drones, attacked Iranian ground control facilities located on Qeshm Island at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

Subsequently, Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. According to CENTCOM, two missiles aimed at Kuwait crashed or broke apart in midair, while three missiles aimed at Bahrain were intercepted by U.S. and Bahraini air defenses.

Although the level of confrontation between the two sides has escalated, an official ceasefire remains in effect. CENTCOM stated, “The ceasefire is still ongoing,” but noted that the United States and Iran have recently repeated armed clashes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.