Kuwait summons Iranian ambassador over alleged IRGC infiltration attempt on Bubiyan Island

• Kuwait summons Iranian ambassador after alleging IRGC infiltration attempt on Bubiyan Island and clash with security forces.

Kuwait has summoned the Iranian ambassador to deliver a formal protest over what it described as an alleged infiltration attempt by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Bubiyan Island, an incident that reportedly led to a clash with Kuwaiti security forces.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman al-Mashaan handed Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Totonji a formal note of protest regarding what it called an “armed infiltration” by IRGC-affiliated elements.

The ministry strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a “hostile act,” and urged Iran to immediately and unconditionally halt any such actions. Kuwait also held Iran fully responsible, calling the reported incursion a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty, international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026.

The statement further emphasized that Kuwait reserves its full right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, including taking all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, national security, citizens, and residents.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kuwait’s Interior Ministry announced that four individuals linked to the IRGC were arrested while attempting to enter the country by sea. According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the suspects admitted during interrogation that they belonged to the IRGC and had been tasked with infiltrating Bubiyan Island aboard a rented fishing vessel to carry out what were described as “hostile acts against Kuwait.”

The ministry also reported that a Kuwaiti security officer was injured during clashes with the infiltrators.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions following military exchanges between the United States, 'Israel', and Iran earlier this year, which triggered broader security concerns across the Gulf region, including disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire was later reached on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, although subsequent negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a defined timeline.

On Sunday, Iran reportedly submitted its response to a US proposal aimed at ending the conflict, which Trump publicly dismissed as “totally unacceptable.”

Kuwait’s latest diplomatic move underscores growing concerns over regional security and cross-border tensions, as Gulf states remain on alert amid ongoing geopolitical instability.