Kuwait has denied a Wall Street Journal report that the Gulf state deployed fighter jets to take part in military strikes against Iran, saying it has not participated in offensive operations or allowed its territory to be used for attacks.
Kuwait’s ambassador to the United States, Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, rejected the report in a letter to the newspaper’s editorial board, describing the claims as “completely and categorically baseless,” Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, July 26.
The ambassador said Kuwait had not participated in any military operation against Iran and had not authorised the use of its territory, airspace or territorial waters for offensive military operations.
The denial followed a Wall Street Journal report published Friday that Kuwait and Bahrain had deployed fighter jets to strike targets inside Iran after Iranian attacks on Gulf countries.
Kuwait’s government has sought to clearly distance itself from any direct military involvement in offensive operations against Iran, as tensions continue to rise across the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
The dispute comes amid a sharp escalation in regional military activity involving Iran, the United States and several Gulf states. The strategically important Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint, with growing concerns over the security of commercial shipping and the movement of global energy supplies.
Iran has previously accused Gulf countries of allowing their territory or airspace to be used by foreign forces for military operations against Tehran. Gulf states, meanwhile, have repeatedly stressed their concerns about being drawn directly into the conflict.
Kuwait’s latest statement appears aimed at clarifying its position and rejecting any suggestion that it has joined military operations against Iran. The ambassador’s comments also underscore the sensitivity of the issue for Gulf countries, which face pressure to balance their security relationships with the United States while avoiding direct confrontation with Iran.
The reported deployment of Kuwaiti fighter jets could have signalled a significant expansion of regional involvement in the conflict. Kuwait’s categorical denial therefore removes, at least from its stated position, any suggestion that its military has participated in offensive strikes against Iran.
The country has traditionally sought to maintain diplomatic channels with regional powers while relying on security partnerships with Western countries. Kuwait’s position reflects the broader challenge facing Gulf states as the conflict intensifies and governments attempt to protect their territory and interests without becoming direct parties to the confrontation.
For now, Kuwait maintains that it has neither participated in offensive military operations against Iran nor permitted its territory, airspace or territorial waters to be used for such attacks.
