Drones and Missiles Intercepted Over Kuwait Amid Iran-US Tensions

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran targeted a United States airbase on May 28, 2026, in a retaliatory strike that marked the second armed clash between the two nations within a single week. The operation occurred alongside reports of missiles and drones being intercepted in the airspace over Kuwait.

The hostilities on May 28 began shortly after midnight with reports of explosions in Bandar Abbas, a southern port city in Iran that serves as the location of a naval base. A United States official stated that American forces intercepted and shot down four Iranian kamikaze drones that posed a threat in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

In addition to the drone interceptions, the U.S. Official confirmed that American forces struck a ground control station in Bandar Abbas. According to the official, the station was targeted because it was about to launch a fifth drone.

The U.S. Official characterized these military actions as follows:

measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire.

U.S. Official

Hours after the engagements in Bandar Abbas, the Defense Ministry of Kuwait announced that several drones and missiles had been intercepted over the kingdom. While official targets were not specified by the ministry, open-source analysts suggested that the projectiles may have been directed toward the Ali Al Salem Air Base, located near the border between Kuwait, and Iraq.

The IRGC subsequently released a statement claiming responsibility for targeting a U.S. Base. The IRGC specified that the base targeted was involved in the earlier strike conducted near the Bandar Abbas Airport.

The IRGC statement emphasized the following:

The aggressor bears full responsibility for the consequences.

IRGC Statement

Cycle of Retaliation

The events of May 28 followed a previous military engagement on May 25, 2026. On that day, the United States conducted strikes against Iranian naval vessels and various sites located in the southern Hormozgan province. U.S. Officials described those operations as self-defense strikes.

Tehran responded to the May 25 attacks by denouncing them as a gross violation of a ceasefire agreement that had been reached on April 8.

The renewed fighting occurs despite indications from U.S. Officials that the two countries were close to establishing a preliminary peace agreement. However, current developments suggest a lack of willingness from either Washington or Tehran to compromise on the terms of such an agreement.

Both nations have continued to exchange accusations, with each side claiming that the other has proposed unacceptable terms for a resolution to the conflict.