Netanyahu warns Iran is ‘playing with fire’ after attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused Iran of “playing with fire” following attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, warning that Tehran should be mindful of the possibility of a renewed military response.

His remarks came after an Iranian strike on Kuwait International Airport killed an Indian national and injured 63 others, forcing the airport to suspend operations temporarily. The attack marked the first fatal strike in the Gulf since a ceasefire took effect on April 8.

Speaking to CNBC, Netanyahu referred to earlier comments by US President Donald Trump, who had warned that large-scale military action could resume if necessary.

“Iran surely knows what the president has said, that if necessary, there’ll be a full-scale return to military action,” Netanyahu said when asked whether the ceasefire remained intact following the recent attacks.

More from World

He added that the decision ultimately rested with the US president but stressed that both Israeli and American forces were prepared for any escalation.

“Israel is ready and the US forces are ready. I think Iran should take that into account. I think they are taking it into account, but they’re playing with fire, that’s clear,” he said.

The attacks have placed fresh strain on the ceasefire, which had largely held despite occasional exchanges of fire. The truce ended more than a month of conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran and saw Tehran launch thousands of missiles and drones towards Gulf states.

Iran has accused Kuwait and Bahrain of allowing the United States to use their territory to carry out attacks on an Iranian tanker and facilities on an island under its control.

However, Kuwait said on Wednesday that its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country", denying Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from there.

The denial came as Kuwait summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan issuing "Kuwait's categorical rejection of the use of its territory or airspace in any hostile acts against any country, emphasising that the false Iranian claims are baseless and do not rely on evidence", a ministry statement said.

With inputs from agencies