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Iran launched missiles and drones at Kuwait after recent US bombardments. The attack deepened regional anxiety as Netanyahu simultaneously sought to consolidate Israel's right before elections.
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Dubai,UPDATED: Sep 3, 2026 13:38 IST
Iran fired missiles and drones at Kuwait on Thursday, stepping up its retaliation after US bombardments earlier this week. The latest strike came as the wider Middle East remained on edge, with other US allies in the region also reporting interceptions of Iranian attacks.
At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to bring together Israel's divided right wing ahead of the October 27 election. He is urging smaller pro-Netanyahu parties to join larger blocs that stand a better chance of entering parliament as he seeks re-election.
In Kuwait, sirens sounded early on Thursday as air defences intercepted missile and drone attacks during what the country's Ministry of Defence described on X as a "blatant Iranian aggression".
The attack followed statements from Bahrain and Jordan, both US allies, that their air defence systems had intercepted several Iranian air attacks on Wednesday. The fighting between the US and Iran has intensified this week after the US struck Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, saying Iran was preparing to use them to fire mines into the waterway.
In Israel, Netanyahu is pressing former allies to unite as larger parties before the election. A number of small pro-Netanyahu parties are in the fray, but instead of helping him, they could weaken his re-election chances by splitting support among his core voters. These include hard-line blocs led by Cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
The election is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly uninterrupted 17-year rule and his handling of a turbulent period marked by mass protests, Hamas' October 7, 2023 attacks and nearly three years of war. A win would mark a comeback for Netanyahu, while a defeat would likely bring to an end the dominance of a leader who has shaped Israeli politics for three decades. Together, the developments in Kuwait and Israel underline the growing tensions across the region.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 3, 2026 13:38 IST
