The Middle East woke to a dramatically wider war on Thursday, as Iranian missiles and drones struck targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan in direct retaliation for American airstrikes on Iranian soil.
It’s the most significant escalation the region has seen in decades. Within hours of the US bombing campaign hitting sites near Tehran and Isfahan, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed it had launched coordinated strikes across three neighbouring states, targeting what it described as “collaborator infrastructure” supporting American military operations.
Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters, appeared to be the primary target. Manama’s international airport was briefly suspended as air defence systems activated over the capital, and at least one explosion was reported near the Isa Air Base, according to regional security officials. Kuwait City’s southern districts saw drone activity that sent residents into shelters shortly after midnight local time.
“This is not a proportional response. This is Iran telling Washington it’s prepared to set the entire Gulf alight,”
said one senior European diplomat, speaking anonymously from Amman, where Jordanian F-16s were scrambled to intercept incoming projectiles near the country’s eastern border.
Jordan confirmed it shot down several drones, with debris falling in rural areas east of Zarqa. No civilian casualties have been confirmed there yet, though Bahrain’s health ministry reported at least 11 people injured in the capital.
The Gulf Cooperation Council issued an emergency statement condemning the Iranian strikes, while the Arab League called an extraordinary session for Friday morning. Oil markets opened sharply higher, with Brent crude jumping past $127 a barrel as traders absorbed the prospect of sustained conflict near the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.
Britain’s Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan overnight, urging British nationals to avoid all non-essential travel. The FCO confirmed it was “urgently assessing” the situation with Gulf partners.
Washington has not yet formally responded to Iran’s counter-strikes, though President Biden is expected to address the nation later today. Whether the US treats attacks on allied Gulf states as an Article 5-style trigger for further escalation is now the question that everyone from Riyadh to Brussels is waiting anxiously to answer.
