Tehran announces 27th phase of Operation Sa’eqeh as new imagery suggests additional strikes at Ali Al Salem Air Base
Iran’s military has confirmed a direct strike on a major US-operated installation in Kuwait, as fresh satellite analysis points to possible damage at a second American base in the Gulf state.
The Iranian Army’s Public Relations Office announced that its forces targeted key facilities at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, describing the operation as the 27th phase of “Operation Sa’eqeh” (Lightning). The strike, officials said, was carried out in retaliation for recent US military actions against Iranian territory, including an airstrike on a residential home on Qeshm Island.
🔴 Iranian Army announced that, as part of the 27th phase of Operation Sa'eqeh (Thunderbolt), its suicide drones struck fighter jet shelters, satellite communication systems, and equipment depots at Kuwait's Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base several hours ago. pic.twitter.com/d6mNbcLW92
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) July 31, 2026
According to the official statement, loitering munitions successfully struck aircraft shelters, satellite communications systems, and equipment storage facilities at the base, which serves as a critical hub for US air operations and logistical support across the region.
The attack comes amid escalating hostilities that began when US forces launched strikes on southern Iranian provinces earlier this month, following what Tehran describes as violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Civilian Casualties in Qeshm Strike
The military’s statement condemned the US attack on Qeshm Island, which killed three members of a family a mother, father, and their two-year-old son on Thursday. Two other children were rescued from the rubble and are receiving hospital treatment. The father was identified as a local taxi driver in what officials described as a working-class residential neighborhood.
“The crimes, sanctions and threats will only make Iran more united and cohesive in its sacred defense,” the Army’s statement read, describing the US action as “a clear violation of humanitarian principles and another example of the enemy’s war crimes.”
US attack on residential home in Iran’s Qeshm kills toddler, parents https://t.co/x2Lyr4AyBC
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) July 30, 2026
Satellite Imagery Raises Questions
Independent analysis of newly released satellite images suggests damage at a second US-run installation in Kuwait. Soar Atlas, a firm specializing in geospatial intelligence, reported that fresh imagery of Ali Al Salem Air Base shows what appears to be blackening in a storage area used by American forces, indicating possible damage.
The development follows a Wall Street Journal report on Thursday that Washington is reassessing its military footprint in Kuwait. Citing US officials familiar with internal deliberations, the newspaper indicated that the Pentagon had been considering troop reductions even before hostilities with Iran began, and has since scaled back personnel to minimize vulnerability to Iranian attacks.
Analysts quoted by the Journal suggested US military planners increasingly view a large permanent presence in Kuwait as no longer strategically essential.
Tehran’s Escalating Response
Iran has conducted multiple missile and drone operations against US military facilities across the region under both Operation Nasr 2 and Operation Sa’eqeh. The Army claimed the “decisive, extensive and heavy” attacks have made interception “very costly and difficult” for American forces, despite the deployment of advanced air defense systems.
The military further accused Washington of imposing “strict censorship” to prevent information about damage, casualties and injuries from becoming public.
Source: Iranian media (edite dby Al-Manar)