Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks on US bases, power plants, and oil facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE following US strikes near the Bushehr nuclear plant and other civilian infrastructure. A government official from Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy said Iranian drones targeted two electric power and desalination plants in the country.
The “criminal aggression” caused “serious material damage” to the plants and led to the outage of two electricity-generating units, said Fatima Abbas Johar Hayat.
A separate attack was reported on the oil infrastructure at the Shuwaikh Oil Sector Complex, and “significant damage” was caused to a government office complex.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said the country’s air defences were dealing with a missile threat and urged residents to “remain in a safe place and follow warnings and updates on official websites".
In Bahrain, the Minister of Interior activated alarms and urged residents to head to safe locations.
On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had destroyed another MQ-9 Reaper drone over the central city of Isfahan, according to the Fars news agency.
The IRGC said the drone was being used by the United States for reconnaissance and strikes on the country’s infrastructure.
Concerns have also been raised that countries across the Gulf could face radioactive fallout if the US launches more intense strikes on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility. A radiation leak would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region and parts of West and South Asia.