Iranian Missile Strikes Target U.S. Bases in Bahrain and Kuwait

Iranian forces launched missile and drone strikes targeting United States military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait as part of escalating hostilities during the 2026 Iran war. The attacks were part of a broader retaliatory campaign by Iran following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory that began on 28/02/2026. Iranian authorities stated that American military bases across the Gulf region were legitimate targets in response to those operations. In Bahrain, one of the strikes occurred around 02:00 local time near Mina Salman Port in Manama. The area is close to the headquarters of the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, a key American naval command responsible for operations in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. According to reports, a missile strike and intercepted debris caused damage in the port area and set the U.S.-flagged oil tanker MT Stena Imperative on fire. A shipyard worker was killed by falling debris from an intercepted missile, and two additional people were injured. Two employees of the U.S. Department of Defense were also reported wounded in separate strike-related incidents in the country. Bahrain’s defence forces reported that their air defence systems intercepted a large number of incoming missiles and drones during the attacks. By early March, officials said roughly 70 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones had been intercepted as they targeted locations in Bahrain, including areas associated with U.S. military infrastructure and nearby civilian facilities. Air raid sirens were activated in parts of the capital as authorities urged residents to remain indoors during the attacks. On the same day, Iranian strikes also targeted U.S. military installations in Kuwait. Iranian state media reported that drones and missiles were directed at American bases in the country, including facilities used by coalition forces. Kuwaiti authorities confirmed that their air defence systems were responding to hostile projectiles entering the country’s airspace during the attacks. The strikes formed part of a series of Iranian operations across Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets. The attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait occurred alongside other incidents in the region during the same period of heightened military activity. Airspace alerts, drone interceptions, and explosions were reported in several Gulf countries as the conflict expanded beyond Iran and Israel into neighbouring states that host American military bases. Governments in the region activated air defence systems and issued public safety warnings as the missile and drone attacks continued in the following days. By early March 2026, the conflict had involved multiple countries across the Middle East, with missile and drone strikes reported in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The events of 02/03/2026 represented one of several days of cross-border attacks during the early phase of the war, as Iran and U.S.-aligned forces continued military operations across the region.