Iran's Army announced on Thursday, 3 September that its forces had launched missile and kamikaze drone strikes against US military bases in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait, marking a sharp escalation in direct military confrontation between Tehran and Washington in the Middle East. The strikes, confirmed in an official statement on the Iranian Army's website, were described as retaliation for what Tehran called US attacks that killed Iranian military personnel and civilians.

What Iran Says It Targeted

According to the Iranian Army's statement, its forces targeted the US Army's satellite communications systems, equipment warehouses, and a fighter aircraft hangar at the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait. Iran claimed the strikes caused confirmed damage to the communications systems and the hangar.

Separately, Iranian forces reportedly struck US troops and radar systems at the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE. Tehran warned that its responses to any further US military action would be 'harsh and devastating' and would continue 'until achieving the ultimate victory and punishing the aggressor,' according to the army's statement.

How the Confrontation Escalated

The Iranian strikes follow a statement by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which said on Wednesday in a post on social media platform X that its forces had 'successfully completed a wave of strikes against Iranian military targets,' citing what it described as 'recent attempted attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members.'

Iran responded by attacking US bases and assets across multiple countries, including Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, and the UAE. This represents one of the broadest Iranian military operations against US installations in the region in recent memory.

Kuwait's Condemnation and Legal Position

Kuwait on Thursday formally condemned what it described as repeated Iranian attacks on its territory. In a statement posted on X, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said the latest strike — carried out at dawn — posed a 'direct threat' to the country's security and stability. The ministry characterised the attacks as a 'flagrant violation' of Kuwait's sovereignty and a 'grave breach' of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817.

Kuwait described the continued attacks as a 'dangerous escalation' that undermines diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions, and reserved its full right to take 'all necessary measures' to defend its territory and vital installations.

UAE-US Diplomatic Contact

Also on Thursday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call from US President Donald Trump, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). They exchanged views on issues of common concern, particularly ongoing developments in the Middle East and efforts to address them, WAM reported.

The call signals that Washington and Abu Dhabi are in active coordination as the situation continues to deteriorate. With Iranian strikes now confirmed on the soil of two Gulf Cooperation Council members, the trajectory of this confrontation will be closely watched by regional governments and global energy markets alike.