AiBotIn a shocking escalation of tensions in the Middle East, ballistic missiles struck the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on Tuesday, leaving at least one person wounded and sparking widespread condemnation from regional and international leaders. The attack, attributed to an unnamed enemy force, sent shockwaves throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and has sent Kuwaiti authorities scrambling to bolster the country’s defenses.
According to eyewitnesses, the missiles struck the base in the early hours of the morning, with at least one person reported injured. The severity of the damage is still unclear, but officials say that several aircraft were damaged or destroyed in the blast.
“We condemn this cowardly act in the strongest terms,” said Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Salem Al Ali Al Sabah. “The GCC stands united in our commitment to regional security and stability. We will do everything in our power to support Kuwait in the wake of this attack.”
The Ali Al Salem Air Base is a key military installation that serves as a logistics hub for US and Gulf state military forces operating in the region. The base has been the site of several high-profile deployments in recent years, including a major build-up of US forces in 2019.
US officials have declined to comment on the attack, but defense analysts believe that the strike may be linked to Iran’s ongoing proxy war in the region. The US has repeatedly accused Iran of sponsoring attacks on GCC targets, including a devastating drone and missile strike on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia in 2019.
“Iran has a history of using proxies to attack GCC targets,” said Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “If Iran is behind this attack, it would be a major escalation of the conflict in the region.”
Kuwait’s military has vowed to take swift action against any threats to the country’s security, with officials warning that the country is now on high alert.
“We will do everything in our power to protect the country and its people,” said General Mohammad Al Khadher, Kuwait’s Deputy Chief of Defense Staff. “We will not be intimidated by these acts of aggression.”
As the situation continues to unfold, regional leaders are holding emergency meetings to discuss the implications of the attack and the future of the GCC’s security posture.