Surprise attack: Iran blasts US base in Kuwait

Attack may signal a major shift in Iran’s strategy beyond previous tit-for-tat military exchanges.

Iran launched an unprovoked drone attack against a U.S. military base in Kuwait in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to Arab media reports, marking what could be a significant shift in Tehran’s military strategy following several days of relative restraint.

Until now, Iran had largely adhered to a pattern of retaliatory strikes, targeting U.S. military assets only after American attacks on Iranian territory. Tuesday’s reported assault, however, came despite President Donald Trump’s decision over the weekend to halt a planned large-scale military offensive against Iran in an effort to give diplomacy one final opportunity.

According to the reports, Iran targeted the U.S. base with a barrage of explosive drones. Video circulating on social media appeared to show a large fire burning within the installation after three drones reportedly struck the base. U.S. officials had not immediately commented on the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties.

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The reported attack followed President Trump’s announcement that he had called off what was expected to be a major U.S. military operation against Iran on Saturday night.

After canceling the strikes, Trump said Washington was extending what he described as a final opportunity for diplomacy, with the goal of reaching an agreement that would permanently end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international commercial shipping.

According to a Truth Social post by Trump, Saudi Arabian, Emirati, and Qatari intermediaries informed him that negotiations were making significant progress and that an agreement could soon be reached on both restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ultimately addressing Iran’s nuclear program.

Despite those diplomatic efforts, Iran reportedly proceeded with the drone attack against the American installation in Kuwait.

In a separate incident late Monday evening, a commercial cargo vessel was reportedly attacked off the coast of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. Details surrounding that attack remained limited, and it was not immediately clear whether it was connected to the drone strike in Kuwait. Nevertheless, the two incidents occurred within hours of one another, underscoring the continued volatility surrounding one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.