Saudi Arabia, Arab States Condemn Iran's Attacks

on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan

Report By Y-Trendz

Dubai, July 9, 2026 — Saudi Arabia and a chorus of Arab states on Thursday condemned a fresh round of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, warning that the strikes represented

a serious violation of sovereignty and calling for an immediate return to diplomacy as fears grow of a wider regional conflict.

Kuwait and Bahrain said their air defense systems intercepted multiple incoming missiles and drones early Thursday, just hours after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed retaliation following another round of US strikes on Iranian territory. Iranian state media reported that the Revolutionary Guards had launched missiles and drones at two US military bases in Kuwait and two in Bahrain, while separately claiming responsibility for a strike on what it called a US command-and-control center and an air base in Al-Azraq, Jordan, using ten ballistic missiles. Iranian officials warned that further American strikes would draw additional retaliation against other US bases in the region.

Saudi Arabia Leads Regional Condemnation

Saudi Arabia's response came both through direct diplomatic contact and formal statements. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke by phone with his Kuwaiti counterpart, reiterating the need to halt the escalation and return to dialogue. The Saudi foreign ministry followed with a statement expressing the kingdom's rejection of what it called Iran's violation of the sovereignty of "brotherly nations" and its continued threats to regional security and stability. The ministry added that the attacks undermine international efforts to restore stability in the region and constitute a violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate halt to Iranian attacks on the region.

The condemnation from Riyadh followed a similar statement issued a day earlier, on Wednesday, after an initial wave of Iranian strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain. In that statement, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry expressed its strongest condemnation and said it held Iran responsible for the consequences of its continued aggression, demanding an immediate halt to the violations.

Wider Arab and Gulf Response

The condemnation extended well beyond Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates described the attacks as a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, and reaffirmed its support for measures taken by all three countries to protect their security. Egypt issued a similarly strong statement, calling the strikes a serious escalation that threatens regional security and civilian safety, while reaffirming its rejection of any actions undermining the sovereignty of Arab states and expressing full support for Jordan's efforts to protect its territorial integrity.

Qatar's leadership also engaged diplomatically, with discussions between Doha and Riyadh emphasizing the importance of resuming dialogue and ending hostilities. Qatar's prime minister separately condemned an earlier attack on a Qatari tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf Cooperation Council's secretary-general, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, also condemned the strikes, reaffirming the bloc's support for measures taken by Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan to safeguard their sovereignty.

Impact on the Ground

Kuwait's military said its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed four missiles and ten drones, and that explosions heard across the country resulted from interception operations rather than direct hits. The country's defense ministry reported one person injured in the attack, described as in stable condition. In Bahrain, air raid sirens sounded across the capital, Manama, before air defense systems intercepted incoming projectiles; the Bahrain Defence Force said it remained prepared to respond to further attacks and accused Iran of pursuing a systematic aggressive campaign against the kingdom.

The strikes come amid a broader collapse of a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran that had held since earlier in the year. The current flare-up traces back to attacks on commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which prompted a second round of American airstrikes on Iranian targets this week. Tehran has framed its retaliatory strikes on Gulf states hosting US forces as a direct response to those American operations.

Broader Regional Anxiety

The latest escalation has heightened concern that the Iran-US conflict could draw in a wider set of regional actors. Gulf states have repeatedly stressed that they are not party to the underlying dispute between Washington and Tehran, yet have found themselves repeatedly targeted due to their hosting of American military installations. Arab governments have consistently paired their condemnations with appeals for de-escalation and a return to negotiations, with several statements welcoming mediation efforts, including those led by Qatar between the United States and Iran.

As of Thursday, there was no immediate indication that the strikes had stopped, and regional officials continued to warn that further exchanges could follow if diplomatic efforts fail to gain traction in the coming days.