Kuwait Faces Intense Iranian Attacks, Stirring Memories of 36-Year-Old 'Hussein Trauma'

Kuwait, still bearing the scars of the 1990 invasion by the regime of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has become one of Iran's most vulnerable targets, the Financial Times reported on July 21 (local time).

According to the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Israel, an estimated 1,318 missiles and drones have been launched by Iran targeting Kuwait between the start of the conflict on February 28 and July 19.

This makes Kuwait the second most targeted nation in the Gulf region, following the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has faced 2,843 attacks.

While Iranian attacks were initially concentrated on the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the recent resumption of armed conflict following the collapse of a ceasefire has shifted the primary focus to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia facing few attacks.

Due to the aftermath of the Gulf War 36 years ago, Kuwait hosts 13,500 U.S. troops, a significant number relative to the country's size.

As Iran justifies its actions by claiming to target U.S. military bases, Kuwait has become a dense concentration of Iranian targets.

Geographically, its proximity to Iran makes it an easy target for short-range missiles, and its border with Iraq leaves it exposed to concentrated drone attacks launched by pro-Iranian militias within Iraq.

The Financial Times explained, "The intensity and frequency of the attacks from Iran have come as a surprise to Kuwait, which had relatively amicable relations with Iran before the war," adding, "Kuwait had refrained from taking a hardline stance against Iran, unlike Bahrain or the UAE, which conducted secret airstrikes against Iran early in the war."

Kuwaiti authorities have announced that Iran has targeted not only U.S. military bases but also airports, various oil infrastructure, and power and desalination plants that provide 90 percent of the country's drinking water.

Last week, a power plant was struck, leading authorities to urge energy conservation. However, saving electricity is difficult during the summer, when temperatures approach 50°C (122°F) and air conditioning is essential.

The economic impact is also severe.

Although Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund, valued at 1 trillion dollars (approximately 1,500 trillion won), is providing some buffer against the shock, the country is more heavily impacted by strikes on oil facilities and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to its slower industrial diversification and modernization compared to other Gulf nations.

Average daily oil production has plummeted from 2.5 million barrels before the war to 500,000 barrels.

One Kuwaiti entrepreneur stated, "Imports have been disrupted, making it difficult for companies to even receive supplies, and the damage from inflation is undeniable."

Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, noted, "There is a vulnerability in Kuwait that has experienced the trauma of the Iraqi occupation," adding, "This is clearly bringing back unsettling memories."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.