Tehran announced on Thursday that its forces had struck American military installations in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, escalating a confrontation that has reignited after weeks of relative calm. The attacks come as Washington examines claims that a US strike hit a wedding in southern Iran, killing at least four people.
Kuwait's army confirmed it intercepted missiles and drones launched from Iranian territory, describing the assault on the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base as a "grave breach of the rules of international law." Iran's military said it had targeted the base with missiles and drones, though no casualties were reported. In the UAE, Iranian officials claimed a strike on Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai, but Emirati authorities denied any such attack occurred.
The Iranian Red Crescent reported that a missile hit a wedding celebration in the coastal town of Kuhestak on Tuesday night, killing four people, including a child, and wounding more than fifty others. The IRGC's chief, Ahmad Vahidi, vowed to avenge the victims, stating that "the pure blood of these oppressed martyrs will not go unanswered."
US Vice President JD Vance said the alleged wedding strike was under investigation but expressed doubt about the Iranian account. "I know that we're investigating," he told a White House briefing. "I will say that the Iranian state media has not been a very good scribe about what's happened in the conflict thus far. So I'm extremely sceptical of this."
US Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins rejected the accusation, insisting that "the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC." The incident echoes an earlier attack in the conflict's opening days, when a strike on a girls' school killed more than 120 children—initially denied by Washington but later confirmed after investigations.
Escalation and regional fallout
The latest exchanges began with US raids on Sunday, which have killed at least 19 people across Iran, according to state media. Tehran has retaliated with strikes on US assets in several Gulf states, including Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq's Kurdistan region, as well as the UAE and Kuwait. The conflict has also disrupted global oil markets, with prices spiking again as Iran maintains pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of the world's oil shipments.
Vance, however, downplayed the severity of the situation. "I wouldn't call it a war," he said, claiming that "right now, there is no active shooting." He described the exchanges as occasional "flare-ups" and noted that the active firing phase lasted only about six weeks.
The war erupted on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening salvo. Since then, the conflict has drawn in regional actors and raised concerns about broader instability, including in Europe, where energy prices and security dynamics are closely watched. The recent strikes on US bases in Jordan and the US response to Hormuz shipping attacks highlight the volatile nature of the standoff.
European governments have urged restraint, mindful of the conflict's potential to disrupt energy supplies and trigger new migration flows. The EU's foreign policy chief called for de-escalation, while several member states, including France and Germany, have stepped up diplomatic efforts to mediate. The situation remains fluid, with no clear end in sight.
