Iran launches drone missile strikes on US bases in Kuwait, UAE in retaliation

Iranian military forces on Tuesday, September 3, launched drones and cruise missiles at Ahmed al‑Jaber Air Base in Kuwait and Al‑Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, targeting U.S. facilities and equipment. An Iranian spokesperson described the strike as “a direct retaliation for the recent U.S. airstrike on Iran that caused at least 19 deaths,” and said multiple U.S. targets were successfully hit. The U.S. Department of Defense said it is assessing damage and has taken “appropriate response” actions against the Iranian units involved.

The attack employed Iran‑developed “Shabak” and “Al‑Taq” unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as long‑range cruise missiles with a range covering the entire Persian Gulf. According to eyewitnesses and satellite imagery, some missiles were intercepted by U.S. air‑defense systems, while several warheads struck helicopters and supply vehicles parked on the tarmac. Iran has not released specific casualty figures; Kuwait and the UAE said they will reinforce base security and coordinate with the United States to raise alert levels.

The flashpoint for this round of hostilities was a U.S. airstrike in early September against two sites inside Iran that were suspected of being linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The United States said the strikes targeted terrorist activities by Iran‑backed armed groups in the Middle East. The attacks killed at least