Dubai — Kuwait has accused Iran of sending an armed Revolutionary Guard unit to carry out a failed attack earlier this month on Bubiyan Island, where a major China-backed port project is under construction, escalating already heightened tensions across the Gulf.
In a statement on Tuesday, Kuwaiti authorities said a six-member team attempted to infiltrate the island on May 1, allegedly planning “hostile acts” targeting the strategic site in the northwest Persian Gulf, near Iraq and Iran. Kuwait said security forces intercepted the group, detaining four individuals while two escaped during the operation. One Kuwaiti security officer was wounded in the incident.
The detained suspects were identified by Kuwait as members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including naval and army officers. Iran did not immediately respond to the allegation.
Bubiyan Island is home to the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, a key infrastructure project linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The development has previously been a point of geopolitical sensitivity in the region, particularly amid broader tensions involving Iran, Gulf states, and global shipping routes.
The accusation comes at a volatile moment, just as US President Donald Trump prepares to travel to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Iran, China, and Gulf security are expected to feature in discussions, particularly given Beijing’s continued economic ties with Tehran and its reliance on stable energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
The waterway remains one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, and any disruption has the potential to trigger global economic consequences. Negotiations between the United States and Iran remain stalled, and concerns persist that the region could slide back into open conflict despite a fragile ceasefire.
Israel–UAE defense cooperation surfaces publicly
In a separate development highlighting shifting regional alliances, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Israel has deployed Iron Dome missile defense systems and personnel to the United Arab Emirates during the recent conflict.
Speaking at a conference in Tel Aviv, Huckabee described the deployment as part of growing defense cooperation between the two countries, which normalized relations under the 2020 Abraham Accords.
“I’d like to say a word of appreciation for the United Arab Emirates,” Huckabee said, noting that Israel had sent missile defense batteries to help operate in the Gulf state.
Neither Israeli nor Emirati officials immediately commented on the remarks, though US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz reportedly made similar comments earlier this week, suggesting coordinated disclosure.
The UAE has faced missile and drone threats linked to regional escalation and has been working to reassure investors that its territory remains secure. The public acknowledgment of Israeli military involvement marks a significant development in the quietly expanding security partnership between the two countries.
Bahrain hands down prison sentences in Iran-linked cases
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Bahrain announced that more than two dozen people were sentenced on Tuesday in cases involving alleged espionage and ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Three defendants received life sentences, while others were given shorter prison terms.
Bahrain, a Sunni-ruled kingdom with a Shiite majority population, has frequently accused Iran of supporting covert cells and intelligence operations inside the country — allegations Tehran has consistently denied.
Rights groups, however, have raised concerns that Bahrain has intensified its crackdown on political dissent during the ongoing regional conflict, particularly targeting Shiite communities.
Regional tensions converge ahead of US–China summit
The developments underscore a broader pattern of escalating tensions across the Middle East, where proxy conflicts, security alliances, and economic infrastructure projects are increasingly intertwined.
With the Strait of Hormuz remaining a strategic pressure point and diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran stalled, regional analysts warn that miscalculations could quickly reignite wider conflict — just as global attention shifts toward high-level US–China negotiations in Beijing.
