Iran Retaliates Immediately After U.S. Airstrikes, Targeting U.S. Facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain

Immediately following large-scale U.S. airstrikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks against U.S. military facilities located in Bahrain and Kuwait.
According to reports from AFP and other news agencies, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran announced in a statement broadcast on state television on July 8 (local time) that it had struck U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The IRGC stated, "As an initial response to this aggression, the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Force conducted joint missile and drone operations, striking 85 key U.S. military facilities within the two countries." The IRGC also claimed to have shot down one U.S. MQ-9 drone.
Bahrain and Kuwait responded to the missile and drone attacks that occurred early this morning by activating their air defense systems.
The Kuwaiti military stated on the social media platform X, "Our air defense systems are responding to hostile missile and drone attacks," adding, "The explosions being heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting enemy attacks."
The Bahraini Ministry of Interior issued an air raid alert around the same time, urging citizens and residents via X to "remain calm and evacuate to the nearest safe location."
Foreign media outlets reported that multiple explosions were heard in Bahrain.
This attack serves as a retaliatory measure, occurring just hours after the U.S. military struck over 80 military targets within Iran in response to Iran's attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian military had previously warned of a "lethal response" as soon as the U.S. airstrikes began.
Regarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian military also asserted that it "will not tolerate U.S. interference," claiming that the only routes available for merchant vessels and oil tankers are "the routes designated by Iran."
Previously, the U.S. military announced that it had conducted precision strikes on over 80 targets in Iran, including air defense systems, command and control facilities, coastal radar stations, anti-ship missile capabilities, and small boats belonging to the IRGC, in response to Iran's attacks on three merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. stated that Iran's attacks on the merchant vessels violated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two nations, leading to the airstrikes on Iran and the revocation of exemptions on crude oil sanctions.
Conversely, Iran claims that the U.S. broke the agreement first and has vowed retaliation, raising concerns over a potential new armed conflict between the two sides.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.