Kuwait on Tuesday directly accused Iran of attempting to infiltrate its territory through a team linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in what appears to be one of the most serious allegations exchanged between the two Gulf neighbors in recent years, amid rising regional tensions and growing fears of a return to open conflict in the Middle East.
According to Kuwaiti authorities, six armed men affiliated with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attempted to enter Bubiyan Island on May 1 with the intention of carrying out what Kuwait described as “hostile acts,” though officials did not specify the exact nature of the planned operation.
Kuwait said its security forces intercepted the group during the infiltration attempt, arresting four members while two others managed to escape. The authorities also revealed that one Kuwaiti security officer was wounded during the operation, which had initially been announced on May 3 without disclosing details about the alleged Iranian involvement.
The Kuwaiti government identified the detained men as two naval captains from the Revolutionary Guard, a naval lieutenant, and an army lieutenant, in an unusually direct attribution of responsibility to Iran’s military establishment.
The accusations carry particular sensitivity because the alleged infiltration targeted Bubiyan Island, home to the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port project, a major infrastructure initiative being developed with Chinese funding under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Kuwait did not explain why it waited several days before publicly linking the incident to Iran, though the timing of the announcement coincided with preparations for U.S. President Donald Trump to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where regional security and Iran are expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
Iran did not immediately respond to Kuwait’s accusations, maintaining official silence despite the seriousness of the allegations and despite repeated tensions between Tehran and several Gulf countries since the outbreak of the regional war.
The accusation has intensified concerns that the fragile ceasefire currently holding in the region could collapse, particularly as the Strait of Hormuz remains vulnerable to disruption and negotiations between Washington and Tehran appear stalled.
The developments also came as U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had deployed Iron Dome missile defense batteries and military personnel to the United Arab Emirates during the war to help defend the Gulf country against Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Huckabee’s remarks highlighted the growing strategic and military cooperation between Israel and the UAE, whose relations were normalized under the Abraham Accords in 2020 despite longstanding Iranian opposition to closer ties between Gulf Arab states and Israel.
The disclosure was particularly significant because it represented the first publicly acknowledged Israeli military deployment on Emirati soil, reflecting the extent to which Gulf countries increasingly view Iran as a direct regional threat.
At the same time, the UAE has sought to reassure international investors and maintain an image of stability after facing missile and drone attacks even following the ceasefire, while also reportedly restricting Iranian government-linked activities within the country since the beginning of the war.
Regional tensions were further amplified by developments in Bahrain, where prosecutors announced prison sentences against at least two dozen individuals accused of espionage and conspiring with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Three defendants reportedly received life sentences, while others were handed shorter prison terms.
Bahrain, which has long accused Tehran of supporting covert networks inside the kingdom, has intensified arrests and prosecutions linked to Iran since the outbreak of the war, while human rights organizations have criticized what they describe as an expanding crackdown on dissidents and members of the Shiite community.
Observers see Kuwait’s accusations as part of a broader regional realignment in which Gulf states are increasingly hardening their security posture toward Iran amid fears that Tehran could use paramilitary networks, missile attacks, or maritime pressure to strengthen its regional influence.
The allegations also underscore the growing overlap between geopolitical competition, energy security, and strategic infrastructure projects in the Gulf, particularly as China, the United States, and regional powers compete for influence in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.
