Kuwait's air defenses destroyed Iranian drones that struck a government facility and civilian vehicles on Bubiyan Island, as President Trump weighs new strikes on Iranian oil refineries and power plants that could begin this weekend. Iran has threatened severe retaliation against the US and Israel, an LNG tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, and US embassies across the region issued fresh security alerts.
Kuwait's air defenses intercepted and destroyed Iranian drones on Saturday that struck a government facility in the country's north and hit civilian vehicles on Bubiyan Island, the country's foreign ministry said. Kuwait condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of international law, reaffirming its right to take all necessary measures to protect its security.
US weighs strikes on oil refineries and power plants
The drone strikes land as the Trump administration weighs a broader escalation. The US is considering strikes on Iranian oil refineries and power plants, CBS reported, a major escalation from earlier strikes on nuclear and military facilities. Trump ordered the military to prepare the attack after an Iranian missile struck a US base in Jordan, the Wall Street Journal reported, and American forces carried out an initial retaliatory strike on Wednesday.
During a Friday cabinet meeting, Trump said "We'll be hitting them very hard," arguing that continued pressure would force Tehran back to negotiations. The operation could still be suspended if the two countries make immediate diplomatic progress, and Trump has reversed course before previous threatened escalations.
Iran threatens severe retaliation
Iran, meanwhile, has responded with warnings of its own. A senior Iranian security official told Tasnim News Agency that Iran had prepared a comprehensive plan to respond to any US strikes, including targeting Israeli infrastructure and US energy infrastructure in the region, dismissing the reported attack plans as a kind of madness. Iran separately warned of Stone Age retaliation over possible strikes on its nuclear sites, including the Pickaxe Mountain facility, Crypto Briefing reported.
Prediction markets suggest the retaliation threat appears to have made a 2026 US-Iran deal less likely, with Qatar and Pakistan potentially mediating, Crypto Briefing reported. The current geopolitical risk traces to joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian installations on February 28, 2026, Crypto Briefing reported.
Tanker struck in Hormuz, embassies issue new alerts
US embassies in Baghdad, Jerusalem and Amman issued emergency security alerts on Saturday, urging Americans to exercise extreme caution and prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures, warning that Iran and affiliated groups may target US interests in countries where such attacks have not previously occurred. The Amman embassy specifically warned against travel to military bases in Jordan, citing Iranian strikes on civilian infrastructure including hotels and airports across the region.
An LNG tanker carrying a Qatari shipment was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz overnight, Bloomberg reported, with security firms identifying it as the Gaslog Shanghai. UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the vessel was hit off the Omani coast with no environmental damage, and a nearby tanker reported an explosion but was undamaged.
Sources: Investing.com, Crypto Briefing, Crypto Briefing
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