Iran fires missile at US base in Kuwait after US strikes near Hormuz

KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT: Iran fired a ballistic missile toward a US military installation in Kuwait on Thursday, May 28, just hours after American forces carried out strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

It marked a sharp escalation in tensions despite an existing ceasefire between the two countries.

Kuwaiti and American military officials said that the missile was successfully intercepted by Kuwait’s air defenses before reaching its target. No casualties or damage were reported.

A US official said that the intended target was believed to be an American air base in Kuwait. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted the base used to coordinate US operations against Iranian positions near Bandar Abbas.

US strikes near Bandar Abbas trigger retaliation

The missile launch came after US Central Command conducted limited strikes near Bandar Abbas, a strategically important Iranian port located close to the Strait of Hormuz.

According to CENTCOM, the operation destroyed five one-way attack drones that posed an immediate threat to US forces and commercial shipping in the region. A sixth drone launch was prevented by targeting a ground control station shortly before takeoff.

American officials described the operation as defensive in nature and stressed that it did not represent a return to large-scale combat operations. However, Tehran condemned the strikes as a violation of both Iranian sovereignty and the fragile ceasefire agreement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei accused Washington of carrying out “aggressive actions” against the country and vowed that Iran would take all necessary measures to defend its territorial integrity.

Trump signals hard line on negotiations

The latest exchange of fire comes as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict face mounting obstacles. At a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, President Donald Trump indicated that negotiations with Iran remained far from a breakthrough.

Rejecting suggestions that political pressures or the upcoming midterm elections would influence his approach, Trump said he was prepared to maintain a tough stance.

“They want very much to make a deal,” Trump said. “So far, they haven’t gotten there.”

The president also dismissed speculation that Iran could wait out his administration, saying electoral considerations would not alter US policy.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation. Since the outbreak of the conflict earlier this year, Iran has severely disrupted shipping through the vital waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies moved before the war.

Trump reiterated that the United States would not allow any country to dominate the strait, declaring that it must remain open to international shipping.

He also issued a warning to Oman, cautioning against any arrangement that would give Iran a role in jointly controlling the strategic passage.