TEHRAN — Iran has struck US bases in Gulf nations, including Kuwait and Bahrain, in retaliation for the “barbaric attack” on a children’s cancer hospital in Khuzestan province in the country’s southweston Thursday.
According to Iranian state media, the Shahid Baghaei Hospital was temporarily evacuated after the US reportedly targeted nearby areas. The hospital treated patients with cancer and blood diseases, particularly children.
“This barbaric attack – reminiscent of Israel’s atrocities against healthcare facilities – caused severe suffering and anxiety upon the hospitalised children,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X.
“After the aggressive attack by the criminal America on the hospital’s surroundings, we were obliged to transfer 211 hospitalised patients,” said Majid Bouadhar, the hospital director.
Only the critically ill patients remained at the facility while other family members evacuated for their children’s safety.
Earlier, the Iranian army said it launched drone attacks on Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, aimed at the communication and radar systems, such as the Patriot installations and Super Hawk radars that US forces use.
Moments after, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued another statement, announcing a “devastating attack” on the same base, claiming to have “completely destroyed the air reconnaissance and control radars” and “the fuel tank pumping station of the aggressor enemy’s fighter jets.”
It said the attacks were in response to the US strikes that forced the evacuation of the children’s cancer hospital in the city of Ahvaz and the attack on a water production plant for the Karbala pilgrims near the border of Ilam province. “The battle continues,” it said.
The IRGC had also claimed attacks on Kuwait and Jordan.
In Kuwait, the army said its forces targeted and destroyed the satellite communications centre and early warning radar of the US air base in Ali Al Salem and the US military pier in Ash-Shu’aybah with a combined drone and missile operation.”
It asked the people of Kuwait not to let the “enemy use your land to commit aggression and crimes against the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen.”
It demanded the US retreat from the region, calling for its expulsion as “the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is conditional on the end of America’s evils in the region.”
Bahrain’s army said Iran is continuing its “systematic hostile approach through its sinister attacks targeting civilians” in the Gulf country.
“The General Command clarifies that, with strong will and high combat readiness, the air defence systems detected, intercepted and destroyed a number of treacherous Iranian air strikes today,” its statement read.
The army asked everyone to “exercise caution and avoid approaching any unfamiliar or suspicious objects resulting from the remnants of the brutal Iranian aggression.”
Source: Saudi Gazette