After the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran, Tehran retaliated by striking targets across the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and even Oman, a country that has traditionally maintained ties with Iran.
However, the current phase of the escalation has been marked by significantly more intense Iranian attacks on three countries in particular—Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. These nations host key U.S. military bases and have granted Washington access to use their territory for regional military operations.
According to CNN, this suggests that the Islamic Republic is pursuing a more coordinated strategy by targeting smaller regional states to demonstrate its ability to inflict damage while preserving the option of escalating the conflict further against other countries if necessary.
While Iran has launched intermittent attacks across the region since tensions escalated earlier this month, Bahrain—home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet—and Kuwait, which hosts major American military installations such as Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base, have reported near-daily attacks since June 8.
Iran has also intensified its attacks on Jordan since last week, resulting in the deaths of two U.S. service members. Another American soldier remains missing, while several others have been injured.
Although Tehran claims it is targeting U.S. military facilities in the region, it has also struck civilian infrastructure, including Kuwait’s sensitive water desalination plants and Bahrain’s civilian air navigation systems. In recent weeks, Iran also attacked Kuwait International Airport, damaging a recently renovated terminal.
Beyond Iran’s stated objective of targeting countries that support the United States, its attacks may also carry a political message. Bahrain has cracked down on members of its Shiite population over alleged support for Iran, while Kuwaiti authorities have prosecuted dozens of individuals accused of expressing sympathy for the Islamic Republic.
Iran may also be deliberately keeping open the option of expanding its attacks to other regional countries—including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Israel—viewing them as potential next steps in the escalation ladder. According to CNN, this indicates that Tehran may still be trying to manage and calibrate the current phase of the conflict rather than allowing it to spiral completely out of control.
