Kuwait became the latest Gulf state to confront the expanding reach of the Iran-linked conflict on Wednesday, announcing the arrest of six individuals — including five Kuwaiti citizens — linked to an alleged Hezbollah-orchestrated plot to assassinate the country’s leadership. Authorities said 14 more members of the network had fled Kuwait, comprising a mix of Kuwaiti nationals, Iranians, and Lebanese citizens. The revelation came amid a dramatic day that also included an Iranian drone or missile strike that caused a large fire at Kuwait international airport, underscoring the country’s acute vulnerability.
The security disclosures arrived on a day of intense diplomatic activity centred on the Iran war more broadly. Washington’s 15-point ceasefire proposal, delivered to Tehran through Pakistani intermediaries, was rejected outright by Iran, which submitted a five-point counter-plan instead. Iran’s state television quoted an unnamed official declaring that the country would not accept externally imposed conditions and would fight until its own terms were met. Those terms included an end to strikes on Iranian officials and soil, security guarantees, reparations, and Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli forces carried out another broad wave of strikes against Iranian targets, including a submarine development facility in Isfahan. Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles directed at Israel and drone attacks across the Gulf. Saudi Arabia intercepted eight Iranian drones over its oil-producing eastern provinces. The UN Secretary-General called on Israel and Hezbollah to halt hostilities in Lebanon, where Israeli ground forces were advancing against Hezbollah positions south of the Litani River and posting footage from recently captured towns.
The US military had struck over 10,000 Iranian targets since the war began, according to American commanders, destroying nearly all of Iran’s largest naval vessels and most of its missile and drone manufacturing capacity. The US was deploying thousands more troops to the region, including 82nd Airborne paratroopers, amid reports of planning for a potential operation against Kharg Island. Iran warned intermediaries that such an operation would result in carpet-bombing, Red Sea shipping attacks, and the opening of additional military fronts.
The broader regional security situation was generating alarm among Gulf governments and international observers. The energy crisis triggered by Iran’s Hormuz blockade had driven oil prices sharply higher and was contributing to Trump’s record-low 36% approval rating, with 59% of Americans saying the war had gone too far. China, Egypt, and Pakistan were all urging dialogue. Egyptian and Pakistani officials held out hope for direct US-Iran talks by Friday, a development that could provide a first meaningful step toward de-escalation — if either side was prepared to move from its stated position.