Kuwait has accused Iran of attempting to infiltrate its territory after a group of armed men identified as members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps landed on Bubiyan Island on May 1. According to Kuwait's interior ministry, the men arrived by rented fishing boat and exchanged fire with Kuwaiti soldiers, injuring one. Four of the six alleged attackers were arrested, while two reportedly fled.

Kuwaiti authorities said those involved included Iranian navy and army lieutenants. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the incident. Bubiyan Island, largely uninhabited, is strategically important due to the development of the Mubarak al Kabeer Port, a major infrastructure project being built with Chinese support.

The confrontation comes amid escalating regional tensions linked to the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Gulf countries have reported drone and missile activity despite a recent cease fire, and several states hosting American military bases have faced repeated attacks. The United Arab Emirates has strengthened security coordination with Israel, which has deployed its Iron Dome air defense system there, marking the first known deployment of the system in an Arab country.