U.S. Strikes Iranian Drone Sites as Kuwait Intercepts Missile and Drone Attacks
CENTCOM says the strikes followed the downing of a U.S. MQ-1 drone over international waters, while Kuwait warned residents that explosions were caused by air-defense interceptions.
The confrontation between the United States and Iran appeared to escalate again Monday night, as U.S. Central Command confirmed strikes on Iranian radar and drone command sites while Kuwait reported hostile missile and drone attacks against its airspace.
CENTCOM said American forces carried out “self-defense strikes” over the weekend against Iranian radar and command-and-control sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island, two sensitive locations near the Strait of Hormuz. According to the U.S. military, the strikes came after Iranian forces shot down a U.S. MQ-1 drone that Washington says was operating over international waters.
The U.S. military said no American service members were harmed and described the response as measured and deliberate. CENTCOM said its aircraft eliminated Iranian air defenses, a drone ground-control station, and attack drones that posed threats to shipping in regional waters.
Iran has given a sharply different version of the incident, claiming the American drone entered Iranian territorial waters before being shot down. Iranian state-linked outlets said the aircraft was detected and destroyed by Iranian air-defense systems.
At the same time, Kuwait’s army said its air defenses were confronting hostile missile and drone threats. Kuwaiti authorities told residents that explosion sounds were caused by air-defense interceptions and urged the public to follow official security instructions. Kuwait did not immediately identify where the attacks were coming from.
The latest developments come as the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire continues to show signs of collapse. Washington is trying to preserve freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while pressuring Tehran over its nuclear program and regional attacks. Iran, meanwhile, is resisting American terms and accusing the U.S. of violating Iranian sovereignty.
For Gulf states, the danger is direct. Kuwait has already been drawn into the crisis as missiles and drones move across the region, raising fears that the confrontation could expand beyond Iran, Israel, and U.S. forces.