They fought back! Two countries have joined the war, striking Iran! On July 25, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Bahrain and Kuwait secretly dispatched fighter jets to attack targets inside Iran—marking the first time these two nations have taken such direct retaliatory action against Tehran. U.S. media said this underscores the growing difficulty faced by Arab nations as the conflict drags on. The air strikes targeted military facilities including drone storage depots and missile storage sites.

The U.S. media noted that the UAE had previously conducted multiple attacks on Iran during the early stages of the war, and this time provided target intelligence and defensive air cover for the operation, signaling the emergence of cooperation among Arab nations in countering Iran. Clearly, facing Iran’s relentless attacks, these two countries could no longer hold back and decided to join the fight. Objectively speaking, Iran’s strikes against Bahrain and Kuwait have been extremely intense.

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet—the most critical naval command base for the United States in the Persian Gulf—while Kuwait is home to four major U.S. military bases. The U.S. leverages these bases to conduct cross-border operations against Iran, while Iran has firmly responded in kind. In particular, Iran has not only targeted U.S. military installations in Kuwait but also once used missiles to strike Kuwait’s desalination plants and power stations.

Evidently, as the war continues, both countries are suffering increasing losses, leaving them unable to endure any longer. From Bahrain and Kuwait’s perspective, such retaliation is not entirely without justification. Previously, both nations tried to remain restrained, hoping to stay out of the U.S.-Iran conflict—but reality shows they cannot remain isolated. If cooperating with the U.S. to weaken Iran’s striking capabilities and thereby reduce their own losses, this might well be a viable option for them. The remaining question now is: will new countries join the conflict, and how far will these nations cooperate with the U.S.?

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871648137028752/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.