Kuwait reported that Iranian drone strikes overnight damaged two electricity-generating units and a desalination facility, and sparked a fire at an oil complex, though no injuries were reported. A ministry spokesperson described the assaults as criminal aggression that inflicted significant material damage and knocked major infrastructure offline. Drones also struck a government office complex in Kuwait, officials said.
The strikes struck at critical services in a country that relies heavily on desalination: roughly 90 percent of Kuwait’s drinking water is produced from desalinated seawater. Al Jazeera correspondents in the region called the attacks devastating news for a Gulf state so dependent on these plants.
The incidents are part of a wider campaign Tehran has carried out in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28, with Gulf states bearing much of the impact, according to regional reporting.
Bahrain reported related damage. Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. said several operational units were hit by drones, and Bapco Energies said an oil tank at one of its storage sites was struck. Both events produced fires that civil defence crews later controlled and extinguished after air raid sirens were sounded.
In the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi authorities said falling debris from an interception caused fires at the Borouge petrochemical plant. Officials suspended operations there while assessing damage; no injuries were reported.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted missiles early Sunday.
Regional analysts and reporters say Kuwait and the UAE have been at the epicenter of recent Iranian actions, and there is concern among Gulf governments that further escalation by the US or Israel could lead Tehran to carry out additional strikes on similar energy and civilian facilities. Although Iran frames its campaign as targeting US military bases and assets, many of the strikes over the past five weeks have hit civilian and critical energy infrastructure across the region.
Gulf leaders have mostly exercised restraint and continue to call for de-escalation and dialogue, but officials warn their patience is limited. Saudi Arabia has invoked its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and several states are signaling that defensive postures may need to change if attacks persist.