The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Kuwait and Bahrain secretly dispatched fighter jets earlier this month to strike military targets inside Iran, citing informed sources. The airstrikes hit drone and missile storage facilities, as well as other sites, and represent the first direct retaliatory action by these two Gulf states since the regional war began. The United Arab Emirates — which had already attacked Iran repeatedly — provided targeting intelligence and defensive air cover, according to the same sources, in what the newspaper describes as a sign of emerging Arab military coordination against Tehran.

Neither Kuwaiti nor Bahraini officials have publicly acknowledged the operations, and their governments did not respond to requests for comment. The UAE, while facilitating the strikes, has consistently advocated de‑escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia, which joined the UAE in earlier strikes on Iran, is now reassessing its position, while Oman and Qatar maintain their long‑standing balancing policies between Iran and the West, showing little appetite for direct confrontation. Western analysts note that the reported strikes reflect a reluctant but growing recognition among Gulf capitals that the protracted war is forcing them into a more open military posture.

From Tehran’s perspective, the attacks illustrate what Iranian media describe as a regional entrapment. Iranian‑linked outlets relay the WSJ report alongside contextual reminders that the Islamic Republic has concentrated its heavy retaliatory fire on Kuwait and Bahrain, targeting critical infrastructure including power and desalination plants, because the two nations host major US military bases. Analysts in London and Moscow argue that such direct engagement by the smaller Gulf states is a response to the realities of a long‑term confrontation, which threatens their security and economic models without offering a clear exit strategy.

The operations add to a pattern of clandestine strikes by Arab states: the UAE and Saudi Arabia have conducted dozens of sorties since the conflict’s inception, while Iran’s missile and drone attacks have caused severe damage to US facilities across the region, with repair costs for American bases alone estimated at $2.2–5.1 billion. The dossier is expected to be discussed in upcoming regional security consultations, though no public confirmation or formal announcements from the involved governments are anticipated in the immediate term.