In yet another dramatic claim amid the raging March 2026 Middle East war, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has boasted of scoring major new victories, announcing the destruction of a key U.S. THAAD anti-missile radar system in the United Arab Emirates, the direct hit on a naval vessel in the Gulf, and fresh heavy bombing of targets in both Kuwait and Bahrain.
“The IRGC has successfully destroyed an American THAAD radar station in the UAE with precision ballistic missiles,” the IRGC declared in a statement released early March 13. “A coalition naval ship was also struck and severely damaged. Kuwait and Bahrain have been hit hard in the latest wave of Operation True Promise 4.” Iranian state media released video purporting to show explosions and claimed the strikes were retaliation for the recent Israeli large-scale ᴀssault on central Tehran and the destruction of IRGC headquarters.
The claims have sent fresh tremors through global markets and raised fears of wider regional chaos. If confirmed, a successful strike on the advanced THAAD system — one of the world’s most sophisticated missile defenses — would represent a significant tactical achievement for Iran.
However, U.S. and Gulf officials are pushing back strongly.
U.S. Central Command described the Iranian announcements as “grossly exaggerated propaganda.” While acknowledging increased Iranian missile activity, CENTCOM stated that the THAAD battery in the UAE remains operational and that any damage sustained was minimal and quickly repaired. On the reported naval hit, the Pentagon has not confirmed any coalition warship damage in the latest exchanges.
In Kuwait and Bahrain, authorities reported multiple air defense interceptions overnight, with some falling debris causing limited fires and injuries in residential areas near Kuwait City and Manama. Both nations condemned the attacks as “cowardly attempts to terrorize civilians” and reaffirmed their full support for the ongoing coalition campaign.
This latest Iranian barrage comes at a heavy cost to Tehran. Just hours earlier, Israel delivered powerful strikes into the heart of Tehran, while the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group continues to operate at full strength in the Arabian Sea under Operation Epic Fury. American and allied aircraft, including F-15E Strike Eagles and B-2 Spirit bombers, have maintained relentless pressure on Iranian targets despite repeated — and largely debunked — Iranian claims of hitting the supercarrier.
Gulf nations, fresh from their historic unified statement against Iran, have grown even more resolute. The UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain have all pledged deeper coordination with U.S. and British forces, including the recent RAF Typhoon shoot-down of an Iranian drone heading for Qatar.
Iran’s strategy appears increasingly desperate: fire large salvos, make bold claims, and hope for propaganda victories to offset devastating losses on the ground and in the air. Yet each new wave of attacks further isolates the regime and solidifies the broad international coalition arrayed against it.
As explosions echo across the Gulf once again, the message from Washington, Jerusalem, and Gulf capitals remains firm: Iranian aggression will not break the alliance. It will only accelerate the systematic dismantling of Tehran’s ability to threaten its neighbors and global energy security.
The war of missiles and narratives continues — but the balance of real power is shifting decisively.
