The situation in the Middle East has entered an extremely dangerous phase of escalation, after in the early hours of the day Kuwait and Bahrain were subjected to massive missile and drone attacks. The attack is a direct response from Tehran after the new wave of US air strikes against targets in Iran. As of 4:30 a.m. Bulgarian time on July 9, 2026, the situation in the Persian Gulf remains critically tense, and air raid sirens have forced thousands of citizens to seek refuge.
Kuwait repels strikes, sirens wail in Bahrain
The Kuwaiti Army General Staff officially confirmed that The country's air defenses are fully operational and are successfully intercepting enemy targets. Authorities in Kuwait announced that the explosions heard in various parts of the country were the result of the successful destruction of missiles and drones in the air. Kuwait's Foreign Ministry described the attack as a "direct threat to national security and a gross violation of international law."
At the same time, Bahrain's Interior Ministry activated missile sirens and urged residents to exercise restraint and immediately head for the nearest safe shelters. According to security sources, air defense systems around the capital Manama also engaged multiple targets. There are no official reports of casualties or heavy material damage in the two Arab countries at this time.
Iran claims responsibility: 85 US targets hit
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has officially claimed responsibility for the strikes. In a special statement broadcast on state television in Tehran, the IRGC announced that the navy and aerospace forces had conducted a joint operation with ballistic missiles and drones.
According to Iran, The targets were a total of 85 strategic US military facilities located in Bahrain (including the US Fifth Fleet) and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. Tehran also claims to have shot down a US MQ-9 reconnaissance drone that tried to disrupt the mission.
Backstory: Trump's sanctions package and the end of the truce
The new clash was provoked after earlier The United States launched large-scale air strikes on over 80 military and port facilities in southern Iran. The US offensive was prompted by the shelling of three commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
In response, the administration of US President Donald Trump has taken tough economic measures, such as officially revoked the license allowing Iran to sell oil on the international market for US dollars. During the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump categorically announced that the temporary ceasefire agreement signed in April is now history.
„For me, this agreement is over. I don't want to have anything to do with them“, Trump told reporters.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte supported Washington's actions, describing them as „absolutely necessary“ to guarantee freedom of navigation in the region.
Tehran's reaction
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the US of serious violations of the Islamabad memorandum and harshly commented on the situation in the X network:
“The era of harassment and blackmail is over. We will not break under pressure“. Iran's military command warned that if the US and its regional allies continue with the attacks, an even larger and “devastating response“ will follow. Due to the escalation, the price of “Brent“ oil on world exchanges instantly jumped by nearly 6%, approaching levels of $79 per barrel.