ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Thursday claimed to have struck US assets in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), framing the alleged attacks as part of its broader escalation with Washington and vowing a "severe and devastating" response to any American strikes.
While Abu Dhabi has yet to confirm an attack took place, Kuwait condemned the "heinous" assault on its territories and affirmed its "inherent right" to self-defense.
The Iranian army said in a statement that it struck US bases in the UAE and Kuwait "with missiles and combat drones," the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
The agency cited the army as claiming to have hit American "satellite communication systems, equipment warehouses and fighter jet hangars" at the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, as well as "troop deployment positions and radar systems" at the al-Minhad Air Base in the UAE.
The base in Kuwait "plays a pivotal role in the logistics and support" of US troops in the region, the Iranian army alleged, while the one in the UAE is "one of the important centers for support and air transportation of foreign forces."
The Iranian armed forces further vowed to deliver a "severe and devastating" response to any US strikes and would "continue until final victory and the punishment of the aggressor," IRNA reported.
The UAE did not comment on the Iranian claims. Kuwait's foreign ministry, however, condemned "in the strongest terms the recurrence of Iran's heinous aggressions" against its territory, "the latest of which occurred at dawn on Thursday.”
The Sheikhdom added that the "continuation of these brazen aggressions" reflects Tehran's "hostile approach" and "a dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region, as well as a systematic undermining of diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation."
The ministry added that Kuwait "reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to preserve its sovereignty, safeguard its security, and defend its territory and vital installations," affirming its "inherent right to self-defense."
The Arab League also warned Thursday of "the serious repercussions of the current wave of Iranian escalation on Arab states," saying it "represents a direct threat to security and stability in the region and portends a widening of the circle of conflict."
The bloc called for "an immediate halt to the aggressions" and urged restraint, reaffirming the need to restore "the negotiating and political track as the path to halting escalation and consolidating regional security and stability."
The escalation comes after Tehran and Washington late Wednesday exchanged sharp warnings following the most intense round of tit-for-tat the two sides have seen in weeks.
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