US defense official denies Iran’s claims of strikes on bases in Kuwait and UAE

A US defense official has confirmed that no American bases were hit after Iran claimed to have successfully targeted US military sites in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The denial, backed by US Central Command, marks the latest chapter in a recurring pattern throughout 2026: Iran announces dramatic strikes, and the Pentagon says they didn’t land. The Iranian military claimed responsibility for attacks on the Ahmad al-Jaber airbase in Kuwait and the Al Minhad airbase in the UAE, characterizing the operations as retaliatory strikes linked to prior US actions near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM categorically rejected those claims, stating that air defense systems across the Gulf intercepted the incoming threats without any damage to US military infrastructure or casualties among American personnel. Throughout 2026, Iran has repeatedly announced the destruction of US military installations in the Gulf region, and every single claim has been dismissed by CENTCOM. The current round of escalation traces back to late February 2026, when direct exchanges between the US and Iran began intensifying. Since then, multiple rounds of missile and drone strikes have targeted US facilities acro...