Iran has warned of a new stage in its military operations against facilities linked to the U.S. in the Gulf region, bringing regional tensions to a new level. The new allegations follow Tehran’s efforts to respond to recent developments in the current showdown with Washington, but there is no independent proof yet of the attacks.
Iranian state news outlet Irib reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) used missiles and drones to execute the eighth phase of its military campaign under the name of “Nasr”. The declaration said that the operations targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which Iran had said was employed in assisting U.S. military activities.
In addition, the IRGC said that facilities linked to the US military were also hit, such as an air defence radar system and an area presently used by American personnel. But no immediate confirmation has been given by officials in Kuwait or the United States about the incident and any possible damage.
In addition to the military aspect, Iranian authorities also issued warnings against Washington’s military presence in the region and renewed political criticism of the U.S. presence. Tehran also alleged that the U.S. was practising their military operations in nearby countries from which they are deploying against Iran and demanded the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the region.
Iranian officials argued that the latest strikes were in response to recent US air attacks, calling them “retaliatory” in nature. Details of the severity or successes of the attacks were not given.
At the time of reporting, no official confirmation has been made by authorities in the United States, Kuwait and Jordan of the Iranian claims. Because the operations have not been officially confirmed, several things remain unclear about the reported operations.
The latest statements underscore the precarious security situation in the Middle East as military rivalries and counterrivalries continue to grow among the region’s competing powers, raising concerns about a wider regional escalation, according to security analysts. Diplomatic observers from both sides have called for restraint, fearing that more military encounters will have a negative impact on regional stability and make it harder to ease tensions in the region through current international efforts.