Iran changes tactics - new US allies come under fire
Iran has shifted its tactics in the Persian Gulf, focusing strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait. Targets include infrastructure such as desalination plants and power stations. Tehran aims to prevent a unified response from Arab states by employing a 'divide and conquer' strategy.
Iran has changed its tactics in the Persian Gulf, concentrating pressure on Bahrain and Kuwait. In Tehran, according to available assessments, they aim not only to damage the infrastructure of these countries but also to prevent the formation of a unified response from Arab states. Previously, the UAE suffered the most from Iranian attacks, but now the main burden has shifted to Bahrain and Kuwait, where sirens regularly sound, rocket and drone launches are recorded, and some strikes hit important civilian infrastructure facilities. Among the possible targets are desalination plants, power stations, American bases, and other strategic sites. There have also been unconfirmed reports of an attempt to attack an Amazon data center in Bahrain. The IRGC has claimed a series of strikes on US and allied targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. Simultaneously, Iranian naval forces stopped and redirected several ships in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz after warning shots. Escalation has also occurred on other fronts: Houthis attacked Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia, after which the Riyadh-led coalition launched retaliatory strikes on their positions in Yemen. The choice of Bahrain and Kuwait as primary targets may be related to their small territory, which heightens the sense of threat among the population, as well as long-standing tensions. Iran avoids a simultaneous large-scale strike on all Gulf states, acting on the 'divide and conquer' principle. Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are still relying on diplomatic channels.