Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Kuwait's drinking water and power plants on Thursday, targeting key infrastructure in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes that damaged bridges and airports within Iran. Kuwait, an oil-rich nation heavily reliant on desalination, reported damage to several power-generation units. The Kuwaiti government has urged residents to ration electricity due to the strain on the national grid during the peak summer heat.
These attacks mark the first time Iran has targeted power infrastructure in its ongoing campaign against U.S. allies in the Gulf. Since the conflict escalated in late February, Tehran has repeatedly engaged in drone and missile barrages against Washington's regional partners.
The escalation follows a period of intensified U.S. military actions, with former President Donald Trump directing strikes on Iranian bridges along coastal cities near the Strait of Hormuz. Reports indicated U.S. forces also targeted a vessel accused of attempting to break a naval blockade and fired on Iranian command centers, air defense sites, and surveillance facilities. The U.S. military also intercepted and disabled commercial ships attempting to breach the blockade.
Trump had previously threatened to expand the U.S. campaign to Iran's power plants and bridges if Tehran did not return to negotiations, warning of intensified attacks. Iran, in response, vowed to target regional infrastructure and reportedly asked Yemen's Houthi rebels to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if U.S. forces struck Iranian power infrastructure.
Earlier in the week, Iran claimed responsibility for drone strikes on a U.S. base in Kuwait, targeting fuel tanks, a Patriot missile system, a watchtower, and an ammunition depot. Iran also reported striking Bahrain. These actions are part of the broader 2026 Iran war, which began in late February with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. The conflict has led to significant casualties and a sharp increase in oil prices, with the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint, remaining a central theater of operations.