Tensions in the Gulf escalated further on Monday after Kuwait confirmed that several United States warplanes crashed on its territory, even as Iran rejected claims it was seeking renewed negotiations with Washington.
Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said “several” US warplanes had crashed in the country, but confirmed that all crew members survived. Videos verified by Al Jazeera showed dense smoke rising in al-Jahra city, about 32 kilometres west of Kuwait City, after a fighter jet was seen going down. Unconfirmed reports suggested the aircraft may have been an F-15.
The crashes came amid intensifying hostilities between Iran and a US-Israeli alliance. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 555 people have been killed in joint US-Israeli strikes across Iran, including senior officials. Iranian authorities say more than 550 people were killed in the attacks, among them Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes against US assets across the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said two drones that attempted to target the Ras Tanura oil refinery were intercepted and destroyed. A small fire broke out due to falling debris, but authorities reported no civilian casualties.
In Tehran, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, dismissed US media reports claiming he had made a fresh push to resume nuclear talks with Washington. Iranian officials insisted there would be no negotiations under what they described as continued aggression.
US President Donald Trump warned that attacks on Iran would continue “until all objectives are achieved” and pledged to avenge the deaths of three American soldiers reportedly killed in recent strikes.
Meanwhile, Israel said it was striking at the “heart of Tehran” and expanding operations in Lebanon after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said more than 30 people were killed in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned what he called “brutal” Israeli attacks on Lebanon, accusing Israel of repeated violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and of breaching the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.
He criticised what he described as the “shameful silence” of countries that claim to uphold international law and human rights.
The conflict has also drawn in regional and Western powers. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the United States had not requested the use of a British military base in Cyprus following reports of a drone strike near the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri. She confirmed the base remained operational.
In Bahrain, the US Embassy warned that terrorist groups could target American citizens, urging them to avoid hotels in Manama and to remain vigilant. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning,” the embassy said in a statement.
With Iran vowing continued retaliation and Washington promising sustained military pressure, fears are mounting that the confrontation could spiral into a broader regional war involving multiple Gulf states.
