WEB DESK: Thirty U.S. service members were injured and multiple MQ-9 Reaper drones were severely damaged after an Iranian missile strike targeted a base in Kuwait, according to a report by Bloomberg citing anonymous sources.
The attack, which occurred two days ago, was framed by Tehran as direct retaliation for recent US airstrikes. The Iranian military announced it had deliberately struck a US military installation, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions.
However, details from the aftermath suggest that Kuwait’s air defense systems successfully intercepted the primary threat. Bloomberg reports, citing its sources, that Kuwaiti defenses destroyed an Iranian Fateh-110 ballistic missile in mid-air. Despite the successful intercept, the base did not escape unscathed.
The report states that debris from the destroyed missile rained down on the Ali Salem Air Base, a key installation hosting US forces. It was this falling wreckage, rather than a direct warhead impact, that caused the casualties and equipment losses.
According to the sources, 30 American soldiers were wounded in the incident. Additionally, the debris field inflicted “severe damage” on several MQ-9 Reaper drones stationed at the base. The Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft used extensively by the U.S. for high-altitude surveillance and precision strikes.
The incident highlights a growing vulnerability for U.S. forces in the region, where even intercepted incoming fire can generate destructive fragmentation over wide areas. There has been no immediate official confirmation from the Pentagon or the Kuwaiti government regarding the Bloomberg report, and details on the extent of the injuries or the exact number of drones damaged remain unclear.
