Bahrain and Kuwait sent warplanes to attack Iran in retaliation for strikes on their countries, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The two Gulf states targeted drone and missile-storage depots, with the UAE providing them with intelligence and “defensive air cover” for the operations, the report said.
Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia conducted strikes on Iran in the early days of the war. Abu Dhabi took a more muscular stance, launching dozens of attacks on the Islamic Republic as it came under intense missile and drone strikes.
Bahrain and Kuwait’s entry into the war would mark a broadening of the conflict. The two Gulf states have come under the most intense Iranian attacks in recent weeks, as fighting again escalates in the region.
Both countries are relatively small military players compared to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, although Bahrain has been investing more in its defence sector. It established diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords.
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Iran has hammered the two states as it eschews attacks on their richer and larger neighbours, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Kuwait and Bahrain are seen as especially vulnerable because of their geography and near-total reliance on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports.
Bahrain is an island kingdom whose only land connection to the outside world is a causeway with Saudi Arabia.
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Kuwait was once linked to the Ottoman province of Basra in modern-day Iraq. It sits at the northernmost tip of Hormuz and is flanked by Iraq. Regional officials say Kuwait has come under intense attack from both Iran and militia groups in Iraq allied with Tehran.
Kuwait’s foreign ministry said earlier this week that Iran attacked a power plant and water desalination facility. The attacks appeared to be relatively contained, but experts have warned that the Gulf would face a humanitarian crisis if its desalination plants are targeted on a large scale.
It’s unlikely that military action by Kuwait and Bahrain would sway the outcome of the war. The US and Israel launched a ferocious attack on Iran earlier this year. A ceasefire extension signed in June has all but collapsed, with Iran attacking Gulf states and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia joined the US in attacking Iran in the early days of the conflict, then pivoted to supporting mediation by Pakistan. Riyadh did grant the US expanded access to its airspace and bases.
The UAE took the most active position earlier this year, launching dozens of strikes on the Islamic Republic.
US President Donald Trump told Axios on Thursday that he is considering “a massive attack” on Iran.
The US military said that Friday marked the 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran.
