Iran attacks US military bases in Middle East despite Trump threats

Iran attacked United States military bases in Kuwait on Thursday, September 3, 2026, despite President Donald Trump threatening further strikes in a fresh flare-up six months into the war.

Trump said United States military was prepared to attack Iran “any time we want” after extensive U.S. bombardment of sites across the country left at least 19 Iranians dead.

Tehran retaliated by hitting U.S. military targets across the Middle East, including in Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The clashes deepen the ongoing impasse in the war, as Iran maintains a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz oil export route and the U.S. presses its counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

Security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned the United States that Tehran had adopted a “new strategy” in the war that “will shatter your foundations”.

Middle East war: Trump threatens to hit Iran ‘hard’ as strikes resume

Kuwait’s army said on Thursday it was intercepting a missile and drone attack from Iran, with Iranian state TV confirming that Tehran was targeting U.S. bases in the Gulf state “in response to America’s crimes against the Iranian people”.

The latest round of fighting began when Washington hit Iranian targets on Sunday, the first known strikes in several weeks, saying it was trying to stop Tehran placing sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said Sunday’s strikes resulted in “casualties” and responded by targeting U.S. troops in Jordan and UAE.

Projectiles also struck two oil tankers in unclaimed attacks, one of which killed two Filipino sailors, according to a Saudi shipping company.