Fresh instability gripped the Gulf region early Monday after multiple United States military aircraft reportedly crashed in Kuwait amid ongoing Iranian retaliatory strikes, according to updates aired by Arise News.
Kuwait’s Defence Ministry confirmed that all crew members were safely evacuated and remain in stable condition. However, smoke was seen near the United States embassy in Kuwait City, triggering an immediate security response. Authorities did not confirm casualties linked to the embassy incident.
The developments mark the third consecutive day of hostilities affecting Gulf states following coordinated US–Israeli strikes on Iranian military and strategic facilities. Kuwaiti officials said their air defence systems intercepted several hostile drones targeting areas including Sawa Rumata. Falling debris from one of the downed aircraft reportedly caused minor injuries to two refinery workers.
Escalation after Tehran strikes
The regional fallout intensified after Israeli and American forces expanded air operations across Iran, targeting missile installations and naval assets in what officials described as a campaign to degrade Tehran’s military capacity.
Iranian authorities said more than 200 people have died since the initial strikes began. In response, Iran and allied armed groups launched missiles at Israeli and regional targets, widening the scope of the confrontation.
The escalation followed reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a US strike in Tehran, a development that triggered retaliatory attacks from Iran and groups aligned with it, including Hezbollah, which fired missiles into northern Israel from Lebanon.
Trump confirms operation
Speaking in an address referenced by Arise News, US President Donald Trump described the offensive, referred to as “Operation Epic Fury”, as necessary to counter longstanding threats from Tehran.
“These actions are right and they are necessary to ensure that Americans will never have to face a radical, bloodthirsty terrorist regime armed with nuclear weapons and lots of threats,” Trump said.
He added: “For almost 50 years, these wicked extremists have been attacking the United States while chanting the slogan death to America or death to Israel or both. They are the world's number one state sponsor of terror. We are the world's greatest and most powerful nation. So, we can do something about what they do. These intolerable threats will not continue any longer.”
The President acknowledged that casualties may increase. “As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is. Likely be more, but we'll do everything possible where that won't be the case.”
He also claimed to have pre-empted a threat from the Iranian leadership, stating in remarks to ABC News that, “I got him before he got me.”
US political divide
Back in Washington, lawmakers expressed sharply differing views over the military campaign. Democratic senators criticised the lack of congressional consultation.
One senator questioned the administration’s objective: “Why did the president choose to start this war? And what are its goals?”
Another argued: “What I know as a member of the gang of eight on the intelligence committee that there was no imminent threat to America.”
They warned of the human cost of the conflict, describing it as “a war of choice, a war of vanity, an illegal war.”
Republican lawmakers, however, defended the strikes. One senator described Iran as “the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” adding, “The goal of this operation is to change the threat, not the regime.”
Another said secrecy was essential: “There was reasons why the president had to keep plans for this particular strike quiet because if it leaked out obviously that would mean that they wouldn't have the opportunity to eliminate a large portion of the leadership of the regime.”
Regional and global disruption
The conflict has significantly disrupted international air travel. Major transit hubs, including Dubai International Airport and Doha’s Hamad International Airport, suspended operations after strikes affected surrounding areas. Closures in Abu Dhabi further compounded the disruption.
Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad halted services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Aviation analysts estimate that roughly 90,000 passengers pass through the affected hubs daily.
Markets reacted swiftly. Shares in several international airlines fell by more than five per cent in early trading, reflecting investor concern over prolonged instability.
Iran has also targeted shipping routes, with tensions rising around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor through which a significant portion of global oil supply passes. Any sustained disruption in that channel could trigger broader energy market volatility.
Wider security concerns
The United Kingdom confirmed it had permitted US forces to use British air bases, a decision followed by an attack on a Royal Air Force facility in Cyprus. No casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, Iranian official Ali Larijani warned via social media: “Yesterday, Iran fired missiles at the United States and Israel, and they did hurt. Today, we will hit them with a force that they have never experienced before.”
The situation has prompted calls for restraint from several governments amid fears of a protracted regional war.
As hostilities continue, attention now turns to Tehran’s next political move. Iranian authorities indicated that a successor to the late Supreme Leader could be named within days. Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, speaking to Fox News, described the moment as “a game changer we've been waiting for all this time.”