The Ministry of Defense reported that Kuwaiti air defenses neutralized all incoming projectiles before they could reach their targets early on July 9, with falling debris causing material damage at several sites and injuring one person who was hospitalized in stable condition. Colonel Saud Al-Atwan, the ministry spokesperson, affirmed that the armed forces remain at full operational readiness to safeguard national security and protect citizens and residents. Army engineering teams were dispatched to handle unexploded ordnance from the interceptions, according to the ministry statement.
The General Staff of the Kuwait Army warned citizens and residents against approaching, photographing or sharing images of any missile or drone debris on social media, urging them to rely exclusively on official channels for information. This latest incident forms part of a pattern of Iranian strikes on Kuwait and other Gulf states that have occurred repeatedly since the broader conflict erupted on Feb. 28, 2026, a New York Times compilation of regional developments found. The defense ministry emphasized continued vigilance amid the heightened regional tensions.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement strongly condemning the Iranian attacks as a dangerous escalation that threatens regional peace and security while undermining diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions. The ministry described the strikes as reflecting a hostile pattern that constitutes a blatant violation of Kuwaiti sovereignty, poses a direct threat to the country’s stability and endangers the lives of citizens and residents. It added that the actions violate international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, stressing that Kuwait’s security and sovereignty are a red line and that the country reserves the right to take all necessary measures to defend its territory in line with international law.
Bahrain’s government strongly condemned the repeated missile and drone attacks on Kuwait as a blatant violation of sovereignty and a grave breach of international law, according to a Manama statement that reaffirmed full solidarity with Kuwait and praised the readiness of its armed forces. Bahraini officials urged the international community and particularly the UN Security Council to take decisive action to deter further attacks and safeguard navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen separately denounced the strikes on both Kuwait and Bahrain as serious violations of national sovereignty and international law, with its government reaffirming solidarity with the two Gulf states and supporting all legitimate measures to protect their security and stability.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud to review the latest regional developments, the ongoing escalation and diplomatic efforts aimed at containing tensions and preserving peace. The call underscored coordination among Gulf allies amid the exchanges between Iran and the United States that have threatened an interim ceasefire. US Central Command reported conducting strikes on 90 targets across Iran in the latest round, releasing footage of attacks on an airport runway and missile launchers intended to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation.
Iran’s Health Ministry reported that two days of American airstrikes had killed at least 14 people and wounded 78 others, most of them members of the armed forces. President Donald Trump stated that recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz had ended a fragile ceasefire, warning that further incidents would lead to much worse consequences while renewing threats to target Iranian civilian infrastructure and seize Kharg Island. US Energy Information Administration data places average oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz at 20.9 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025, equivalent to about 20 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption, a volume whose disruption has already driven sharp increases in global energy prices.
