Bahrain and Kuwait quietly deployed fighter jets to strike targets within Iran earlier this month, marking their first known direct military response against Tehran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing “people familiar with the matter.”
The strikes hit facilities used to store drones and missiles, along with other military installations, according to the report.
The United Arab Emirates, which had previously launched several attacks on Iran during the early stages of the conflict, reportedly contributed intelligence on potential targets and provided defensive air support, reflecting growing coordination among Arab states in countering Iran, the report said.
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For several weeks, Iran has concentrated its retaliatory attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, both home to US military bases.
Although the two Gulf nations maintain relatively modest air forces equipped with American and European-made fighter jets, they were unwilling to allow Tehran to continue striking them without responding, the report said.
Regional tensions have escalated over the past two weeks after US President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that the ceasefire outlined in the Islamabad MoU was no longer in effect.
Since then, the US and Iran have exchanged strikes, with Washington targeting sites inside Iran, while Tehran says it has attacked US military facilities and equipmnt across several countries in the region.
READ: Trump grows increasingly frustrated as Iran war enters 5th month: Report
