Kuwait Arrests Four IRGC Operatives After Firefight on Bubiyan Island
Primary region Middle East
Tags Security
Regions Middle East
Kuwait arrested four Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps members who infiltrated Bubiyan Island by sea on May 1, 2026, with two others escaping after an exchange of fire that wounded one Kuwaiti serviceman. The detainees — all naval officers — confessed to being tasked by the IRGC with carrying out hostile operations. Kuwait's Foreign Ministry condemned the incident and held Iran fully responsible. The UAE's Foreign Minister also condemned the infiltration attempt. Bubiyan Island hosts Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, a Belt and Road initiative project previously attacked during the war. Bahrain separately sentenced at least two dozen people on espionage charges related to Iran's IRGC.
Strategic interpretation
The IRGC infiltration attempt on Kuwait — a country that has maintained relatively neutral relations with Iran — signals Tehran's willingness to escalate covert operations across the Gulf during the ongoing conflict. The targeting of Bubiyan Island, home to a Chinese-backed port project, may also be intended to signal to Beijing that its Gulf investments are vulnerable. The simultaneous Bahrain espionage case suggests a broader Iranian covert campaign across the Gulf states.