Iran launches fresh missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait amid rising tensions

Iran launched fresh aerial attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait early Saturday, after the United States said it had struck the Islamic republic.
The tiny island kingdom of Bahrain, home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, denounced the attacks against its territory and neighbouring Kuwait.
Manama said the two Gulf countries intercepted seven missiles fired by Iran and described the attacks, the second against both nations since Wednesday, as “blatant aggression” and “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of both countries”.
Kuwait also condemned the attacks, saying they were a “direct threat” to the “lives of citizens and residents” and represented a “dangerous escalation… at a time when the international community is making unremitting efforts to stop combat operations”.
Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also condemned the attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain.
In Bahrain`s capital Manama, an AFP journalist reported hearing three explosions and the interior ministry announced air raid sirens had sounded across the country.
Later, Bahrain`s military said in a statement it had been “able to intercept and destroy three missiles and a number of drones”.
In Kuwait, an AFP journalist reported hearing repeated blasts near the country`s international airport, which had been struck on Wednesday in an attack blamed on Iran that killed one person.
“We woke up to a huge explosion. The explosions were very loud,” Reem, an Egyptian mother of two, told AFP, referring to the Saturday attacks.
“My children were terrified, and I couldn`t calm them down,” she added.
Kuwait`s military said it had “engaged seven hostile ballistic missiles this morning within Kuwaiti airspace”.
It added that some interceptions over residential areas caused falling debris which “resulted in material damage but no casualties”.
In the hours after the barrages, Kuwait`s aviation authority announced the resumption of air traffic, saying 11 Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways flights had been diverted during an air space closure due to the Iranian attack.
Iran`s Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted “enemy bases” with missiles after the US military said it struck radar sites in Iran and downed drones headed towards the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said six of the missiles fired towards Kuwait and Bahrain were downed, while the seventh “did not reach its intended target”