Several US warplanes crashed in Kuwait on Monday morning, though all crew members survived, the country’s defence ministry confirmed.
The ministry said search and rescue teams quickly evacuated the crews to hospital, where they are in stable condition. The cause of the crashes is under investigation.
Black smoke rose over the US embassy in Kuwait City, though the embassy did not confirm a direct hit. It issued a security alert urging people to stay away, “There is a continuing threat of missile and UAV (drone) attacks over Kuwait. Do not come to the embassy.”
Iran pressed ahead with a third day of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf, targeting US bases and allies after the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli attacks.
Explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, and other cities. Iran claimed to have struck the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier (Pentagon denied any hit), vessels in the Indian Ocean, and bases in Kuwait and Iraqi Kurdistan.
In Kuwait, shrapnel hit a fuel container at a power station and Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, injuring two workers but not disrupting operations. Sirens sounded across Kuwait City as air defences intercepted drones at dawn.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said their missiles and drones targeted US and allied sites, while Oman’s Duqm port was hit by drones, injuring a foreign worker.
The UAE reported minor injuries from debris near diplomatic buildings, including Israel’s embassy. Five people have been killed across the Gulf from Iran’s strikes so far.
The escalation has rattled the region, long seen as a safe haven from broader Middle East conflict.
