US struggles to protect Kuwait from Iran: Report

The US failed to protect Kuwait from Iranian attacks despite its longstanding military presence there, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

The Iran war has shaken the sense of security that the US troops gave Kuwait, the report said Thursday. Washington is reconsidering the scale of its military presence, it said, while Kuwait continues to seek firm American security guarantees.

Iran has struck Kuwait with missiles and drones targeting critical infrastructure, including power and desalination plants, the airport, its port and oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. US air defenses intercepted most attacks, but American bases have also been targeted, including a March strike that killed six US troops.

Although Kuwait has maintained essential services through reserves and emergency repairs, the attacks exposed the vulnerability of its infrastructure and long-standing defense partnership with Washington.

“The attacks have made people in Kuwait think of the U.S. presence as a liability, but also as absolutely necessary to defend Kuwait,” said Douglas Silliman, president of the Arab Gulf States Institute and a former US ambassador to Kuwait. “I think they are trying to figure out what the best way forward on defense is.”

Kuwait has signed a new defense pact with Pakistan, but there is no indication it plans to reduce its reliance on the US. Instead, it is likely to seek stronger air defenses and additional weapons, said the report.

“The recent attacks have highlighted the increasingly complex security environment in our region and the evolving nature of modern threats, including missiles, drones and asymmetric capabilities,” said a spokesman for Kuwait’s US Embassy, adding that Kuwait “remains committed to working closely with the United States.”