The U.S. forces deployed in the Middle East intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles and drones heading towards Kuwait, Bahrain, and civilian vessels navigating through the Persian Gulf, according to a report from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday. The incident constitutes one of the most delicate episodes recorded in the region since the beginning of the current escalation between Washington and Tehran.
According to the official statement, U.S. forces and their regional allies managed to neutralize all threats before they reached their targets. Additionally, the United States responded with an attack on an Iranian military facility on Qeshm Island, a strategic position located off the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM noted that Iran launched several ballistic missiles against neighboring Gulf countries in a coordinated operation that also involved the use of attack drones. However, none of the projectiles managed to hit their intended targets.
According to the information released by the military command, two missiles fired towards Kuwait did not complete their trajectory and fell short of reaching Kuwaiti territory or disintegrated during flight. At the same time, three ballistic missiles aimed at Bahrain were intercepted by air defense systems jointly operated by the United States and the Bahraini armed forces.
''Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, and three missiles launched towards Bahrain were immediately intercepted by U.S. and Bahraini air defenses,'' CENTCOM stated.
U.S. authorities asserted that the Iranian operation was not limited to missile attacks. Just before the interception of the projectiles, surveillance systems detected several attack drones launched from Iranian territory heading towards civilian vessels transiting through international waters in the region.
The U.S. forces deployed in the area reacted quickly and shot down three drones before they could approach the ships. ''CENTCOM forces shot down three one-way attack drones launched by Iran towards civilian mariners legitimately transiting through the region's waters,'' the military statement noted.
The presence of armed drones near international maritime routes raised concerns among naval authorities due to the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf for global trade. A significant portion of the oil exported by the producing countries in the region passes through these waters daily, which are considered crucial for the stability of international energy markets.
In response to the attacks, the United States carried out a military operation against an Iranian facility located on Qeshm Island. According to CENTCOM, the target was a ground station used to control unmanned aircraft employed by the Iranian armed forces.
