Kuwaitis question US troops as Iran war hits home

Six months into the US-Iran war, some Kuwaitis are questioning the presence of US troops after the conflict brought attacks and economic pressure to the Gulf state.

AFP reported that Iran and its allies have carried out repeated barrages against Kuwait since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The reported attacks have targeted civilian infrastructure, including water desalination plants and energy installations, as well as bases hosting American troops.

Iranian attacks on Kuwait have killed at least 15 people, including six US troops, four Kuwaiti soldiers and five foreign residents, AFP reported.

Kuwait hosts one of the region's largest concentrations of American troops, a legacy of the US-led coalition that liberated the country from Iraqi occupation in 1991. That presence is now a source of unease for some residents.

A Kuwaiti woman who declined to give her name said the country was “paying the price” for the presence of US forces, but also said she was reluctant to imagine Kuwait without them.

Political analyst Ghanim Alsulaimani told AFP that Iran's aim was to use Gulf states to pressure Washington to halt its attacks. He said US President Donald Trump was unlikely to stop because Kuwait was being targeted.

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also put Kuwait in a difficult economic position because the country relies on oil exports through the waterway.

Human Rights Watch says several Kuwaiti laws criminalise speech deemed insulting to religion, the emir or foreign leaders, limiting open criticism of diplomatic partners.

A senior foreign diplomat based in Kuwait told AFP that Kuwait recognises the United States' role in liberating it, but also recognises that it is coming under Iranian attack because it hosts US forces.

A US government spokesman told AFP that security cooperation with Kuwait remains robust. Kuwaiti resident Nasser Al-Shammari said targeting locations where Americans are stationed had created fear and anxiety among residents.