Iran Targets Kuwait With Missile Attack, US Alleges Ceasefire Violation

Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait on Thursday and carried out drone operations near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the United States to accuse Tehran of committing an “egregious ceasefire violation” amid fragile negotiations to settle the war diplomatically.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the missile, launched at 10:17 p.m. ET on May 27, was successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti air defenses. The command added that the missile attack came hours after Iranian forces launched five one-way attack drones that posed a threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz, the key maritime waterway where Iran has been menacing ships.

“All drones were successfully intercepted by U.S. forces,” CENTCOM said in a statement, adding that American forces also prevented a sixth drone launch by striking a ground control site in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

“This egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime” targeted one of America’s key Gulf allies, CENTCOM said, adding that U.S. and partner forces “remain vigilant and measured as we continue to defend our forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression.”

Kuwait’s military earlier announced that its air defense systems had been activated to confront what it described as “hostile missile and drone attacks.”

“The General Staff of the Army notes that any explosion sounds heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks,” the Kuwaiti military said, urging residents to follow official safety instructions.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched retaliatory strikes following what it described as a U.S. attack near the Bandar Abbas airport.

“Following the aggression by the invading American army against a point on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport, the American airbase, as the origin of the aggression, was targeted,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency and state broadcaster Press TV.

“This response is a serious warning so that the enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered,” the IRGC added, warning that any future attacks would trigger a “more decisive” response.

The IRGC did not explicitly identify Kuwait as the location of the targeted U.S. base.

Gulf States Condemn Attack

The attack drew condemnation from Gulf states already rattled by weeks of escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States, Israel, and Iranian-backed armed groups across the region.

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the targeting of Kuwait with “missiles and drones,” calling it “a blatant violation of its sovereignty and a flagrant breach of international law.”

“The Ministry reiterates the State of Qatar’s full solidarity with the State of Kuwait and its support for all measures taken by Kuwait to preserve its sovereignty and security,” the statement said.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry separately denounced what it called “blatant aggression” by Iran.

“This escalation comes at a time when earnest efforts are being exerted by a number of brotherly and friendly countries to reduce tensions,” the ministry said in a statement, describing Iran’s attacks as a “direct threat to the lives of civilians and critical infrastructure.”

Kuwait hosts major American military facilities, including the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central, air bases, and naval installations. Prior to the April ceasefire, the country was repeatedly targeted by Iran and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

The latest flare-up marked the second major escalation this week, after CENTCOM said Monday that it was forced to carry out a series of “self-defense strikes” targeting Iranian missile launch sites and boats trying to lay mines.

“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” CENTCOM spokesman Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins told The Epoch Times in a statement.

The incidents come against a backdrop of delicate negotiations to transform the nearly seven-week ceasefire into a broader political agreement to bring peace to the region.

While U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about ongoing talks, the United States and Iran have continued exchanging strikes, with both sides accusing one another of ceasefire violations.