In a letter to the Wall Street Journal editorial board, Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States Sheikha Zain Al-Sabah rejected a report published the previous day that alleged Kuwait participated in airstrikes against Iran. Al-Sabah stated that the claims were entirely false and stressed that Kuwait has not taken part in any military operations against Iran. The ambassador added that Kuwait has not allowed its territory, airspace or territorial waters to be used for any offensive action, according to the letter. Sheikha Zain Al-Sabah further reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to international law, respect for state sovereignty and the maintenance of good neighborly relations in the letter. The ambassador called on the newspaper to issue a correction in the interest of regional stability.
The Wall Street Journal reported on July 24 that Bahrain and Kuwait secretly sent jets to attack sites inside Iran in the first such direct retaliation by those states against Tehran. The newspaper cited people familiar with the matter as saying the strikes early this month targeted drone and missile storage depots among other military installations. A WSJ assessment noted that the action reflected the difficult position Arab states find themselves in as the regional conflict continues.
The United Arab Emirates provided intelligence and defensive air cover for the strikes, according to the same people cited by the Journal. Iran has focused retaliatory strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait in recent weeks because both countries host U.S. military bases, the report added. Kuwait’s ambassador to the U.S. denied that his country struck Iran, the Journal itself recorded in the article.
A separate Wall Street Journal analysis published in June examined damage from Iranian attacks on U.S. and allied bases across the region. That review, which drew on satellite imagery, social media footage and interviews, documented significant structural harm at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait along with other facilities. Iranian strikes between late February and June caused extensive damage that the Pentagon has not publicly detailed, the analysis found.
U.S. Central Command figures show Iran launched more than 8,000 missiles and drones during the period while the United States struck more than 13,500 targets in response. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the command, told the Journal that only two Iranian hits resulted in U.S. fatalities despite the volume of attacks. The broader conflict has placed Gulf states in an increasingly complex position as they balance security concerns with diplomatic priorities.
Al-Sabah’s letter emphasized that Kuwait supports the resolution of disputes through dialogue and peaceful diplomatic channels. The ambassador’s intervention arrives amid heightened regional tensions that have drawn in multiple Gulf countries and their international partners. Kuwait has consistently maintained a policy of non-escalation in public statements throughout the current crisis.
