Iran appears to be activating underground cells in Gulf states as regional tensions escalate, with Kuwait and Bahrain reporting multiple disrupted plots linked to Tehran. Kuwaiti authorities announced they had foiled a plan by a ten member cell tied to Hezbollah that allegedly trained abroad in weapons and drone operations and intended to strike vital national facilities.

The arrests mark at least the fourth Iran linked cell uncovered in Kuwait and Bahrain in recent weeks. Officials said suspects coordinated with external actors, possessed weapons and encrypted communication devices, and aimed to undermine state sovereignty and spread fear. Additional arrests in Kuwait included fourteen nationals and two Lebanese suspects accused of recruitment and destabilization efforts.

In Bahrain, authorities detained five individuals accused of gathering sensitive information and transmitting coordinates and photographs of key sites to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The incidents suggest a broader strategy of using local operatives to inflame instability across the Gulf, even as regional intelligence services demonstrate an increased ability to detect and disrupt such networks.