Iran and its proxies have targeted a host of US sites in the Middle East since the American and Israeli militaries jointly launched attacks on Tehran and other cities on February 28. As the Middle East conflict entered its 14th day on Friday, reported casualties include seven US military personnel dead and 18 wounded.
Iranian missile, drone and maritime attacks have spread across the Gulf, targeting countries that host US military facilities and key oil shipping routes. Countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have reported missile threats, drone interceptions or explosions in recent days. At the same time, attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil corridor, have raised concerns about disruption to energy supplies.
According to the Pentagon, about 140 troops wounded since the war began. Six of the soldiers were killed when Iran attacked a US base in Kuwait.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said most of the injuries were minor, with 108 troops returned to duty, while eight remain severely injured and are receiving intensive medical care.
Iraq drawn into the conflict
The war has brought Iraq into the confrontation, where US facilities and diplomatic sites have been targeted by Iran-backed armed groups.
Within hours of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, US assets in Iraq’s Kurdish region came under retaliatory attacks from Tehran-backed groups, according to Al Jazeera .
Drone and rocket attacks have targeted locations, including Baghdad International Airport, which houses a military base and US diplomatic facilities, as well as sites in the Kurdish regional capital Erbil.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has also claimed responsibility for missile strikes on Harir Air Base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, according the same report. At least 26 people were killed and dozens were injured, reports Al Jazeera
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the country had become “one of the countries directly affected by the ongoing conflict” and was facing attacks from “both sides of the conflict”.
Kuwait: US facility reportedly targeted
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched missiles targeting US forces in the Gulf, including two missiles aimed at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, according to reports, citing Iranian military statements.
Kuwaiti authorities did not confirm a direct strike on the base. However, Kuwait’s National Guard said multiple drones entering the country’s airspace were intercepted, suggesting the attack attempt was stopped by air-defence systems.
The conflict has already resulted in US casualties in Kuwait. Six American soldiers were killed in a drone strike there earlier in the war, according to US officials cited by ABC News.
Bahrain: Attacks reported in Manama area
Iranian drone and missile attacks have also been reported in Bahrain, where a drone strike hit a residential building in Manama, killing one person and injuring several others, Al Jazeera reported.
Additional attacks wounded dozens of people in Sitra, near Manama, and caused a fire at a facility in the nearby Ma’ameer arena, the report further adds.
Bahrain hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, although the available reports do not confirm a direct strike on the headquarters.
Qatar and UAE report missile, drone interceptions
Missile threats have also been reported in Qatar, where the defence ministry said the country’s military intercepted an incoming missile, with explosions heard in Doha caused by air-defence systems engaging the projectile.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said they intercepted several Iranian drones, although some fell inside the country, injuring civilians and causing damage in Dubai, according to Al Jazeera.
Shipping attacks near Strait of Hormuz
The conflict has also affected commercial shipping across the Gulf, particularly near the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies normally pass.
A bulk carrier was struck by an unidentified projectile northwest of the UAE, causing a fire onboard, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) monitoring agency reported by the BBC.
Security agencies monitoring maritime traffic say multiple ships have been struck in Gulf waters since the war began, raising concerns about disruption to global energy supply routes.
In another escalation, two oil tankers were hit in Iraqi, port of of Umm Qasr, killing one person and prompting rescue operations for dozens of crew members, Reuters and CNN reported .
Air defences activated across Gulf states
Several Gulf countries have repeatedly activated air-defence systems as missile and drone threats continue.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field, while Kuwait and the UAE have also reported shooting down drones and missiles entering their airspace.
Iranian officials have warned the conflict could turn into a “war of attrition” affecting energy markets, with attacks on infrastructure and shipping routes across the Gulf, reported The Guardian.
Human and economic toll rises
The war has already caused significant casualties and displacement across the region.
Earlier, on 6 March, Iran’s ambassador to the UN said that more than 1,300 people had been killed and accused the US and Israel of launching an attack on a girls’ school near an IRGC base in southern Iran on 28 February, saying that alone killed 168 people, including around 110 children.
Meanwhile, attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure have unsettled global markets, with rising oil prices reflecting fears that the Strait of Hormuz , a key artery for global energy trade could face further disruption.
An Iranian missile with cluster munitions flies toward Israel, as seen from Tel Aviv, March 9. REUTERS 
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