Kuwait Says It Arrested Four IRGC Operatives After Firefight on Bubiyan Island

Kuwait's interior ministry announced on Tuesday that it had arrested four infiltrators affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after a firefight on Bubiyan Island earlier this month. The operatives tried to enter Kuwait by sea aboard a rented fishing boat, according to the state news agency KUNA.

Kuwaiti armed forces stationed on the island exchanged fire with the group, resulting in serious injuries to one Kuwaiti service member. The interior ministry stated that the men confessed during interrogation to their affiliation with the IRGC and said they had been tasked with carrying out hostile activities inside Kuwait.

It added that the group sought to launch such activities on Bubiyan Island.

Initial statements indicated that two of the Iranian group were in custody while two escaped. However, Kuwait's defense ministry reported on May 3 that all four had been detained and identified as naval Col. Amir Hossein Abdolmohammad Zaraei, naval Col.

Abdolsamad Yedaleh Ghanavati, naval Capt. Ahmad Jamshid Gholamreza Zolfaghari and 1st Lt. Mohammad Hossein Sohrab Foroughi Rad. The four were arrested in territorial waters after attempting to infiltrate Bubiyan Island, the defense ministry said. The island is the largest of eight belonging to Kuwait and lies in the north-western corner of the Persian Gulf.

Island is home to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Kuwait and China have agreed to advance the $4.1 billion project, with a Chinese majority state-owned firm undertaking engineering, procurement and construction for the first phase.

The development is expected to expand Kuwait's port capacity and reinforce its role in regional and global trade flows. The accusation by Kuwait of an Iranian link to the incident came just before U.S. President Donald Trump travels to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Kuwait has summoned Iran's ambassador following the alleged infiltration and clash with security forces. Tehran has yet to respond to the accusations.