Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched two waves of missile and drone strikes against US military facilities across Kuwait and Bahrain between June 6 and June 10, targeting up to 21 locations in what amounts to the most significant escalation of the 2026 US-Iran conflict to date.
Among the sites hit: the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The IRGC also struck Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti air base, which houses F-35 fighter jets. The attacks came in direct retaliation for US drone strikes on Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz.
What happened and why it matters
The IRGC framed the campaign as a response to American actions near Sirik, Qeshm, and the broader Strait of Hormuz area, where US strikes had previously damaged Iranian positions. The strikes also followed the downing of a US helicopter, adding another layer of provocation to an already volatile situation.
Reports put the number of targeted sites between 18 and 21 across Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. Prior phases of the conflict had already seen Iranian attacks on over 20 US or shared military sites across Kuwait and Bahrain. What’s different now is the breadth and coordination of the strikes, and the fact that Jordan, a key US ally, got pulled into the target list.
