Iran Strikes Gulf Allies After U.S. Hits Iranian Nuclear Site, Sparks Power Plant Fire

On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unleashed a wave of drones and missiles that slammed into three of the United States’ Gulf allies – Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. The attacks came just after the United States carried out its eighth consecutive night of strikes on Iranian soil, including a hit on the partially‑built Darkhovin nuclear plant.

In Kuwait, the onslaught hit a combined power and desalination facility for the second day in a row. Witnesses described a sudden explosion followed by thick black smoke, and flames quickly engulfed sections of the plant. Kuwait’s military confirmed the damage and said its forces were already engaging the incoming projectiles.

Bahrain’s air defenses reported intercepting a swarm of missiles and drones, saying they managed to thwart the bulk of the assault. Nevertheless, sirens wailed across the island nation as the sky filled with the hum of incoming ordnance.

Jordan, which hosts a U.S. air base at Al‑Adiri, said its air force shot down three of four missiles that were aimed at a U.S. ammunition depot. The remaining missile struck a nearby installation, prompting emergency crews to scramble.

Iran’s military framed the operations as “heavy blows” to U.S. bases, claiming they also targeted air‑defence radars at Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem airbase. The statements were laced with warnings that Tehran would continue to defend its national security.

The U.S., for its part, defended the earlier strikes as a response to IRGC actions that killed two American service members in Jordan earlier this month. Washington also said the attacks were meant to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Regional leaders rushed to condemn the Iranian retaliation. Qatar’s prime minister expressed “the strongest condemnation,” while the UAE denounced the attacks and pledged support for any measures that protect the affected states. Jordan summoned Iran’s ambassador, demanding an end to the “unjustified” aggression, and Lebanon’s prime minister called the strikes a blatant violation of Arab security.

Meanwhile, the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed it had blocked two ships that tried to use an “unsafe route,” a move that underscores the continuing tug‑of‑war over the waterway after the recent U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding.