Quick Read
- Smoke seen rising near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City on Monday.
- U.S. Embassy issued a security alert, warning of ongoing missile and UAV threats.
- Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted hostile drones for the third consecutive day.
- Loud blasts were reported in Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Manama.
- Iranian strikes are in retaliation for earlier U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
KUWAIT CITY (Azat TV) – Smoke was observed rising from the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City on Monday, March 2, 2026, prompting an immediate security alert from the diplomatic mission as Iranian retaliatory strikes continued across the Gulf region. This development signals a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, directly impacting areas near critical American diplomatic installations.
Witnesses reported seeing smoke near the embassy compound, with firefighters and ambulances dispatched to the area, according to Reuters. In response, the U.S. Embassy issued a security alert on Monday, warning of a “continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait.” The embassy instructed personnel to shelter in place and urged citizens to avoid the embassy and take cover in their residences on the lowest available floor, away from windows, and not to go outside.
Incident Near US Embassy Kuwait
The incident near the embassy occurred amidst a broader wave of Iranian strikes, which Tehran stated were in retaliation for earlier U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Saturday. This marked the third consecutive day of Iranian bombardments targeting neighboring Gulf states. Unverified social media reports also indicated that a fighter jet was downed in Kuwaiti airspace on Monday, though this could not be immediately confirmed. Kuwaiti air defenses successfully intercepted hostile drones on Monday, primarily near the Rumaithiya and Salwa neighborhoods, with no injuries reported, Kuwait’s state news agency cited the director-general of the civil defense as saying.
Escalating Regional Conflict
Beyond Kuwait, a series of loud blasts was heard on Monday morning in major regional hubs including Dubai, the Qatari capital of Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Manama, as reported by Reuters and AFP news agencies. These strikes have not been confined to military targets, with civilian infrastructure across the Gulf, including airports, seaports, residential buildings, and hotels, reportedly hit since Saturday. The conflict has tragically resulted in a total of five deaths across the Gulf region, according to AFP.
Iran’s Retaliatory Strikes Impact Gulf
Iran has explicitly stated its intention to target U.S. bases in the region following the U.S. and Israeli strikes. The widening scope of these attacks, now affecting key aviation and trade hubs and posing a direct threat near diplomatic compounds like the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, underscores the severe and escalating nature of the conflict. U.S. Embassy personnel in Kuwait are confirmed to be sheltering in place.
The direct threat to diplomatic facilities and the continued targeting of civilian infrastructure across multiple Gulf cities highlight the increasingly volatile security landscape in the Middle East, demanding urgent international attention to de-escalate the broader regional confrontation.