US confirms Iranian missile launch as tensions surge across Middle East

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait overnight, in what Washington described as a significant escalation amid rising regional tensions. The missile was intercepted before reaching its target, US officials stated.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier announced that it had carried out an attack targeting an American air base, claiming the facility had served as a launch point for recent US strikes against Iranian assets, CNN reports.

At 10:17 p.m. ET on May 27, Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait that was successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces. This egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime occurred hours after Iranian forces launched five one-way attack drones that posed a clear…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 28, 2026

According to a US official, those American operations targeted Iranian drones and a launch site near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, an area that has become increasingly volatile in recent days.

The developments came as tensions also intensified in Lebanon. An Israeli source said Israel carried out a strike targeting a commander in the missile unit of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Beirut, marking the first Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital in weeks.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, while the Israeli military issued fresh evacuation warnings for additional cities in southern Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signaled that Washington would not be pressured into reaching a rapid agreement with Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing tensions and diplomatic efforts, Trump said he would not be rushed into a deal, warning that Iran’s apparent strategy of attempting to outlast him politically would fail because he does not “care about the midterms.”

By Vafa Guliyeva