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Iran Launches Assault on Kuwait’s Ports During Regional Escalation

smoke rising from Kuwait port
Smoking rising for the new port in northern Kuwait being built by the Chinese

Published Mar 27, 2026 5:17 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

In an apparent escalation of the attacks on neighboring states, reports indicated that sirens were going off in countries ranging from Kuwait to Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. There were multiple reports of drones being intercepted across the region, while Kuwait confirmed a coordinated assault on its ports.

Iran said in its statement that it continues to attack sites associated with the U.S. military and provide support to the Americans. In an unconfirmed assertion, Iran claimed to have targeted its U.S. Patriot defense base in Bahrain.

Kuwait confirmed the attacks on its ports but asserted it was only damage to infrastructure, although they did term it “material.” They said that no one was injured and that damage assessments were underway. It also reportedly temporarily closed its airspace.

The first assault came at dawn on the Shuwaikh Port, which is Kuwait’s main commercial port, located near Kuwait City.  They said it was attacked by drones, which caused material damage.

A second attack was focused on the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port in northern Kuwait. Indications were that it was targeted both with drones and cruise missiles. Again, there were reports of material damage. Images posted online showed a large plume of smoke rising from the site.

 

 

The Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port is under construction near the border with Iraq and is seen as a critical infrastructure project for Kuwait. Last December they reported an agreement with China to develop the port. The announcement said it was a key part of the efforts to diversify Kuwait’s economy away from solely the oil operation. They said the new port would support manufacturing and light industry. The goal is to build the new port into a regional hub. They expected to open the first four berths in 2026.

Kuwait issued alerts to its citizens and instructed everyone to follow its alert system on mobile devices. Reports indicated that Bahrain had also sounded its missile alert system. In Qatar, which had not seen a major attack in days, AFP reports the alert system was also activated on Friday.