The United States struck Iranian radar and drone command sites over the weekend, and Iran retaliated by targeting an American air base in Kuwait for the second time in a week, marking the third military exchange between the two sides in seven days. US Central Command confirmed “self-defence strikes” on sites at Goruk and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it responded by attacking the base. Air raid sirens sounded across Kuwait early Monday. Its foreign ministry condemned the “heinous and repeated Iranian attacks” as a “dangerous escalation and a direct assault.” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, telling critics to “sit back and relax.”

What Happened

Centcom said US fighters struck Iranian air defences, a ground control station, and two drones on Saturday and Sunday that “posed a clear threat to ships transiting through regional waters.” No American personnel were injured.

The IRGC said it targeted the base it claimed the US had used to strike a communications tower on Sirik Island, approximately 40 miles (65km) from Iran’s southern coastline. Iran’s military warned its response would be “completely different” if US aggression were repeated, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Kuwait’s military said it was “confronting hostile missile and drone attacks,” with state news agency KUNA reporting air raid sirens across the country. The foreign ministry reserved the right to “take whatever measures are necessary” to defend itself.

The strikes follow US attacks on Bandar Abbas on Monday of last week and a further exchange on Thursday — three rounds of escalation in a single week around the Strait of Hormuz.

Diplomatic Stalemate

The military exchanges continue as negotiations remain stalled. Trump requested changes to the deal text after a Situation Room meeting on Friday, demanding tougher language on Iran’s nuclear commitments, harder terms on the Strait of Hormuz, and limits on financial relief. CBS News reported the changes related to the shipping channel and the removal of highly enriched uranium.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday that the US was “constantly changing its views and putting forward new or contradictory demands,” which would “prolong negotiations.” He added that “at this stage, our priority is ending the war” and that no negotiations had taken place on the nuclear file.

Iran also introduced a new condition: an end to the conflict in Lebanon, where more than 3,300 people have been killed since early March. The US is mediating talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington this week. Hezbollah is not at the table.

Alliance Under Strain

Kuwait is not a belligerent in the war with Iran. It hosts a US base. It has now been attacked twice in a single week. Its foreign ministry’s language reflects a sovereign state calculating that its alliance with the United States is exposing it to costs the alliance was supposed to prevent.

The same calculation is underway in Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. All host US bases. All are within range of Iranian missiles. All are watching Kuwait absorb the consequences.

Trump’s Monday morning post — “sit back and relax” — was directed at his domestic critics. The midterms are approaching. Polls show 64% of Americans believe the war was the wrong decision. The president is editing the text of a deal, bombing Iranian radar sites, and telling the public to relax. The sirens in Kuwait are an operational reality. The two are not aligned.

Written by the Foreign Desk, drawing on US Central Command statements, Kuwait Foreign Ministry announcements, Iranian Foreign Ministry press briefings, Fars News Agency reports, and CBS News reporting. The desk has covered every phase of the US-Iran conflict since the 28 February airstrikes.

Source: US Central Command, Kuwait Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Fars News Agency, CBS News