Iran's Regional Pressure Points: From Kuwait to Khamenei's Son

Kuwait suffers over 1,350 attacks as a former MP curses Iran, while reports claim Mojtaba Khamenei has left the country.

Iran's Regional Pressure Points: From Kuwait to Khamenei's Son — Former Kuwaiti MP Ali Al-Daqbasi, during a live broadcast, said: 'Cursed be the father of Iran.'[^1] His outburst came as Kuwait faces sustained assault: over 1,350 attacks from Iran and its proxies since late February, including dozens of drones and ballistic missiles.[^2] The verbal escalation mirrors a physical one—Kuwait has become a main strike hub in the Gulf, according to Kan.[^2] Meanwhile, a dramatic report on the Saudi channel Al-Hadath claims that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader, has left Iran.[^3] According to the report, the Revolutionary Guards are writing his messages, not him.[^3] An Israeli source told Kan that 'Khamenei is not in Iran.'[^4] If true, the departure of the regime's likely successor would signal internal fragility at a moment when Iranian media also report an attack in Abadan in southwestern Iran.[^5] The twin developments—Kuwait's bombardment and the possible exit of Khamenei's heir—suggest Iran is under pressure on multiple fronts. Tehran asked residents to turn off air conditioners during peak hours as temperatures approached 39°C in the capital.[^6] But the regime's regional proxies remain active, and the question is whether the leadership vacuum, if real, will accelerate or complicate de-escalation. IDF on High Alert as US-Iran Strikes Continue, Israel Weighs Joining Campaign — The Israel Defense Forces are on high alert for a possible joining of US military action against Iran, as the US completed another round of strikes in Iran last night (Sunday) in response to an Iranian missile attack on a base in Jordan that killed two American soldiers. The US death toll in the war has risen to 16, and about 50,000 American soldiers are operating in the Middle East.[^1] The IDF is urgently preparing to repel a possible surprise Iranian strike on the Israeli home front, following a meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz on July 16.[^2] American refueling planes deployed to Israel during the escalation are expected to remain afterward, and some US fighter jets being sent to the Middle East are expected to land at bases in Israel in the coming days.[^3