Iran’s armed forces launched coordinated drone strikes on US military installations in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait on 24 July, the latest in a series of retaliatory operations against bases used by American forces to conduct a 13-night bombing campaign on Iranian territory. The Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck fuel depots, equipment warehouses, aircraft hangars, and personnel barracks, employing domestically produced Arash suicide drones. According to Iranian state television, the attacks hit Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, and multiple camps in Kuwait, including Ali Al-Salem, Udairi, Doha, and Arifjan.

Jordan’s military confirmed it intercepted seven missiles and six drones, stating that the engagements caused no casualties or structural damage. Bahrain’s defence force said it “confronted, intercepted and destroyed” several incoming aerial threats, while Kuwaiti forces announced they were “currently confronting attacks by hostile drones.” None of the targeted governments immediately confirmed Iranian claims of destroyed facilities or personnel casualties, though Tehran’s IRGC alleged significant destruction and accused Washington of concealing losses. The IRGC also issued a public warning for civilians across the Middle East to keep a 500-metre distance from US military sites, indicating further strikes were imminent.

The exchange of fire represents a sharp escalation in a conflict reignited in late June, when the administration of US President Donald Trump declared a previously agreed ceasefire framework with Iran void. Since then, US Central Command has conducted nightly precision strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, citing the need to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian interference. Iranian health officials report that the American bombardment has killed 55 people and wounded more than 600 since 27 June. Tehran frames its drone campaign — which has expanded to multiple Gulf states and Jordan — as a lawful response to “aggression” and a warning that any country hosting bases used for attacks on Iran faces direct retaliation.

Viewed from Amman, the interceptions underscore Jordan’s delicate security calculus. The kingdom hosts nearly 4,000 US troops and maintains close security ties with Washington, yet has long sought to insulate its territory from regional power struggles. Officials in Manama and Kuwait City face similar challenges, as their countries host substantial American military footprints while maintaining diplomatic channels with Tehran. Regional analysts note that Iran’s choice to widen its target set beyond the immediate theatre of operations reflects a calculated strategy to impose political costs on US partners and fracture the coalition supporting American air operations.

With no diplomatic track publicly active, the dossier remains on a trajectory of open-ended tit-for-tat. The IRGC’s threat of further strikes, combined with Washington’s stated determination to degrade Iranian military capabilities, suggests that further regional states may be drawn into the confrontation. The situation remains fluid, with air defence alerts continuing across the Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean.