Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched missile and drone strikes against U. S.
military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, following a wave of American airstrikes and the revocation of an Iranian oil export license.
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The attacks targeted Bandar Salman, Bahrain's Fifth Naval District, and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, triggering air defense systems and air raid sirens in both host nations.
Escalation After US Strikes and Sanctions
The escalation follows accusations by the U. S.
military that Iranian forces attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including the Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker Al Rekayyat and the Saudi-flagged supertanker Wedyan.
U. S.
Central Command reported that American forces struck Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance radars, missile sites, and more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The U. S.
Treasury also revoked a general license that previously allowed Iran to sell crude oil on international markets, setting a July 17 deadline to wind down all transactions.
The military confrontation occurred during the final days of the funeral procession for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of the war.
U. S.
Central Command detailed that the operations aimed to force compliance with shipping safety rules along the vital international waterway.
"The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation," CENTCOM said in a statement.
