By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies
The Iranian Army says it has struck key facilities at the US-operated Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, while newly analyzed satellite imagery reportedly indicates fresh damage at another American military installation in the Gulf state.
In a statement, the Army’s Public Relations Office said the strike was carried out as part of the 27th phase of Operation Saeqeh [Lightning], describing it as a response to recent US military aggression against Iran, including an airstrike on a residential home on Qeshm Island.
According to the statement, loitering drones targeted aircraft shelters, satellite communications systems, and equipment storage facilities at Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base. The Army described the base as a major center for US air and surveillance operations, as well as a critical hub supporting American military logistics in the region.
The operation comes after the United States intensified attacks on Iran’s southern provinces earlier in July, following what Tehran says was Washington’s violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Iran has since launched repeated missile and drone operations against US military facilities across the region under Operation Nasr 2 and Operation Saeqeh.
The Army strongly condemned the US strike on civilian homes in Qeshm, calling it “a clear violation of humanitarian principles and another example of the enemy’s war crimes.”
It added that “crimes, sanctions and threats will only make Iran more united and cohesive in its sacred defense.”
The statement further asserted that the “decisive, extensive and heavy” operations carried out by the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards [IRG] have made it “very costly and difficult” for the United States to intercept Iranian drones and missiles despite deploying advanced air defense systems and reinforcing its regional military assets.
The Army also accused Washington of imposing strict censorship to prevent details of damage, casualties, and injuries from becoming public.
The latest operation followed a deadly US strike on a residential building on Qeshm Island on Thursday. According to a local official, the attack claimed the lives of a mother, a father, and their two-year-old son. Two other children were rescued alive from the rubble and transferred to hospital after receiving emergency treatment at the scene. The father was identified as a taxi driver, and officials described the area as a working-class residential neighborhood.
Meanwhile, newly released satellite imagery has revealed additional damage at another US-operated military installation in Kuwait.
Soar Atlas, a platform specializing in satellite imagery and mapping analysis, said its assessment indicates fresh damage at Ali Al Salem Air Base. According to the analysis, part of a storage area used by US forces appeared blackened in the latest images, suggesting the facility may have sustained damage.
The developments come as The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington is reassessing the size of its military presence in Kuwait.
Citing US officials familiar with the discussions, the newspaper said the Pentagon had already been considering reducing troop levels before the conflict with Iran escalated and has since withdrawn additional personnel from Kuwait to reduce their exposure to Iranian attacks on American military bases.
Analysts quoted by the newspaper said US officials increasingly believe that maintaining a large permanent military presence in Kuwait is no longer considered strategically necessary.
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