Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
France 24
France 24
World
The FRANCE 24 Observers

Arrests, denials and missing images: Gulf states’ response to Iranian strikes

Screenshots from videos briefly showing Iranian strikes in Bahrain on July 13, 2026 (left and centre) and on July 16, 2026
Screenshots from videos briefly showing Iranian strikes in Bahrain on July 13, 2026 (left and centre) and on July 16, 2026. © Observers

Since the conflict between Iran and the United States began on February 28, more than 1,000 people have been arrested for attempting to document Iranian strikes in Jordan and Gulf countries allied with Washington. The governments of these countries have sought to deter the circulation of such images and maintain an official narrative denying that the strikes reached their targets.

A distant explosion, filmed for only a few seconds: that is what appears in a video shared on Telegram on July 16, documenting an Iranian strike on Kuwait. The footage was recorded from the Iraqi border city of Umm Qasr, a location confirmed by the FRANCE 24 Observers team.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.