Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched drone and missile attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday, June 27, 2026 [1].

The strikes target neutral Gulf nations, escalating regional instability and threatening the security of critical shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. This aggression follows a period of heightened tension between Tehran and Washington.

According to reports, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) utilized a combination of unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles to strike the two nations [1, 2, 3]. In Kuwait, defense systems intercepted two ballistic missiles [2].

Tehran said the operations were retaliation for recent U.S. military actions. Earlier, the U.S. military struck 10 targets within Iran [4]. The IRGC said the attacks were intended to pressure U.S. negotiations over the ongoing conflict [1, 2, 3].

Bahrain and Kuwait have maintained neutral stances during the broader conflict, yet both found themselves in the line of fire during Sunday's strikes [1, 2]. The use of drones and missiles against these neighbors signals a willingness by the IRGC to expand the scope of its military engagements beyond direct adversaries.

U.S. officials have monitored the situation as the region remains on high alert. The strikes coincide with a volatile diplomatic environment where Iran has threatened to halt talks with the U.S. entirely [2].

“Kuwait intercepted two ballistic missiles”

By targeting neutral neighbors like Bahrain and Kuwait, Iran is signaling that it views the entire Gulf region as a theater for its conflict with the U.S. This strategy aims to create a wider security crisis that forces the U.S. to make concessions in negotiations to prevent a total regional war.