Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has increased since the weekend after the American military hit Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran was planning to use them to shoot mines into the waterway. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at American bases in Jordan, which were all intercepted.
Iran also fired drones at Kuwait late Tuesday that were intercepted. On Monday, the United Arab Emirates said it had intercepted an incoming Iranian drone over its waters.
Bahrain, which hosts an important U.S. naval base, said its air defense systems intercepted incoming fire from Iran early Wednesday, accusing Iran of “attacks targeting civilians” in a statement issued by its military.
Also on Wednesday, Kuwait’s government communications center said a fire broke out at a residential complex in the capital after it was hit by an Iranian drone at dawn. It said the blaze had been contained and there were no casualties.
Elsewhere in the region, in Iraq where Iranian-backed proxy forces are active, Kurdistan's Counter-Terrorism Directorate said it had intercepted 10 drones laden with explosives in the Irbil area. Iranian television reported that American bases in Irbil had been targeted.
Israel's military also said that Iran-backed Hezbollah fired two explosive drones at its soldiers in southern Lebanon but there were no casualties.
The U.S. Central Command said Tuesday's strikes focused on Iranian military targets including air defense sites, radar systems and maritime assets.
