Kuwait halted all flights on Saturday after Iran launched one of its heaviest barrages of missiles and drones since the Middle East conflict began.
Kuwait Airways has rescheduled most of its flights due to the temporary suspension of takeoff and landing operations at Kuwait International Airport, the airline said on Saturday in a post on X. Iranian missile and drone attacks prompted the closure of the country’s airport, the airline said.
The Gulf state suffered one of its heaviest barrages since the Middle East conflict began. The latest Iranian attacks triggered multiple rounds of sirens from around dawn on Saturday, Bloomberg reported.
Iran struck two electricity and desalination facilities in Kuwait within 24 hours, Kuwait News Agency reported, citing the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. The ministry said the attack prompted the precautionary shutdown of several generation units to protect workers and maintain the stability of the national electricity grid.
“Iran may have struck the Kuwaiti plant in response to recent US strikes on bridges in Iran and to deter the US from attacking Iranian energy infrastructure,” the Institute for the Study of War said.
Brent crude surged on the escalation. It rose about 4.6% on Friday to settle around $88, its biggest weekly advance since April.
Iran Hit By US For Seventh Night
The escalation also prompted fresh US military action.
US forces carried out the seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Friday. Central Command hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities.
CENTCOM said it is holding "Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief’s direction while fully enforcing a naval blockade against Iranian ports." More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East, according to the statement.
The US State Department issued a travel warning for the Middle East, warning that the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. "We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments," it said on X on Friday.
Iranian attacks injured several US service members at two Jordanian bases this week, CBS reported, citing unnamed US officials. Axios separately reported that Iran launched a ballistic missile at a US base in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia Issues Warning
The General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defense issued a warning on Friday for Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The warning didn’t identify the origin of the threat.
"Strikes in Yanbu would be a big deal because that’s the key Red Sea loading port at the terminus of Saudi Arabia’s now-critical East-West Pipeline," Rory Johnston, an oil market researcher, posted on X. Yanbu has "allowed the Kingdom to reroute the majority of its barrels around the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
The head of the International Energy Agency said on Thursday that global energy security is under serious threat unless efforts by the US and Iran lead to improved oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Fatih Birol said on Thursday that the world should be concerned about energy security if the situation does not improve soon, Al Jazeera English reported.
Iran Issues Regional Warning
A cessation of hostilities remains unlikely. Axios reported that the Trump administration notified Israel it is sending more refueling planes to the country, a possible signal that US military operations could be widened.
Iran has warned that it would expand its targeting of Gulf Arab nations in response to US strikes against its infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said countries hosting US forces in the region should be prepared for a proportionate response.
Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said Friday on Iranian state television that Iran would recognize "no political boundaries" in its attacks.
Tehran had refrained from launching a ground offensive and carrying out heavy attacks beyond its borders, he said. Tehran wanted to avoid triggering wider international security crises, he added.
Iranian state media reported that Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base, where U.S. combat aircraft were stationed, was also targeted, along with an intelligence data center.
Qatar Calls for End of Attacks
Qatar called on Friday for an immediate and comprehensive halt to all military actions and attacks that threaten regional stability. It urged all parties to avoid further escalation and to return to dialogue and negotiations.
Qatar described the attacks by Iran on its territory, as well as on the territories of Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, as a “flagrant violation” of their sovereignty. It also said that it had the right to respond against Iranian aggression.
As tensions further escalate between the US and Iran, there appear to be few off-ramps to end hostilities.
"We don’t have great options now but neither does Iran," Dennis Ross, a former US Middle East peace envoy, said on X. "The least bad options are to blockade Iran, continue to attack its missile and drone capabilities, and isolate Iran internationally."
