Iran Intensifies Strikes on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan to Pressure US Bases in Middle East
Forecast Trend Report by Period
Iran has stepped up attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, in what appears to be an effort to pressure US military infrastructure in the Middle East, as all three countries host American bases.
CNN reported on July 20 that Iran has escalated military action against the three countries this month. Bahrain hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, while Kuwait is home to key US facilities including Camp Arifjan and Ali Al Salem Air Base.
Bahrain and Kuwait, in particular, have effectively been attacked almost every day since July 8, the report said. Airstrikes on Jordan have also intensified since last week, killing two US service members and leaving one missing.
Iran says it is targeting US facilities and assets, but civilian infrastructure has also been hit. In Kuwait, a desalination plant and the international airport were attacked. In Bahrain, civil aviation operating systems were struck.
CNN said the attacks appear to reflect political calculation as well as military aims. Bahrain has cracked down on Shiite residents suspected of pro-Iran sympathies, and Kuwait has previously punished people seen as aligned with Tehran.
Iran, however, has so far refrained from launching a full-scale offensive against the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Israel. CNN said Tehran appears to be concentrating pressure on smaller states while leaving open the possibility of broader escalation.
