May 13th, 2026: Iranian Commandos Captured In Kuwait & Ukraine’s New Drone Alliance
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Wednesday, the 13th of May. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Iran is accused of sending Revolutionary Guard Corps commandos into Kuwait during the fragile Gulf ceasefire. Are we still calling it a ceasefire? Raising fears that the region's shadow war is still escalating behind the scenes. Later in the show, the war with Iran is reportedly accelerating U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation, with both countries now pursuing a landmark drone and air defense agreement. Well, that only took four years. Plus, as Ukraine's own defense industries develop and Kyiv becomes more reliant on the EU than the U.S.
for military support... President Zelensky is becoming more public in displaying Ukraine's frustrations with the Trump administration. And in today's Back of the Brief, North Korea's support for Russia's war effort is reportedly fueling the hermit kingdom's biggest economic growth surge in nearly a decade. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. Kuwait is accusing Iran of carrying out a covert Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, infiltration operation during what is supposed to be a regional ceasefire, a sign that while open warfare may have paused, the regime's shadow war appears to be continuing in the background. According to Kuwaiti officials, members of Iran's IRGC attempted to infiltrate Boubian Island earlier this month aboard what authorities described as a fishing vessel to conduct hostile operations inside Kuwaiti territory.
Kuwaiti security forces say they intercepted the group after they landed on the island, triggering a confrontation that left one Kuwaiti service member wounded. Four suspects were captured, while two others reportedly escaped during the clash. Kuwaiti authorities publicly identified the suspects as officers in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including colonels, a captain, and a first lieutenant, suggesting, obviously, that this was a deliberate state-directed operation rather than some freelance smuggling mission gone wrong. As of now, Iran has not publicly responded to the accusations. Now, what makes this story especially significant is the location. Bouyan Island is Kuwait's largest island, positioned near the northern edge of the Persian Gulf, close to both Iraq and Iran.
What accusations are being made against Iran in Kuwait?
But more importantly, the island is home to the Mubarak al-Kabir Port project. It's a massive Chinese-backed infrastructure development project, and it's tied to Beijing's broader efforts to expand trade and influence across the Middle East. The island sits near critical shipping lanes, oil infrastructure, military facilities, and one of the most strategically sensitive corners of the Gulf. The accusations surfaced just before President Trump's planned summit this Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the growing crisis in the Gulf and the economic shockwaves tied to instability in the Strait of Hormuz are expected to dominate discussions. China remains heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy supplies and has continued purchasing Iranian oil despite sanctions pressure from Washington.
At the same time, Beijing has invested heavily across the Gulf, including in Kuwait's port infrastructure projects. So, if Iran targeted an island tied directly to Chinese investment interests, Tehran may have been signaling that no country's economic footprint in the Gulf is truly insulated from the conflict. As we've highlighted here on the PDB, during the broader Iran conflict, Gulf nations including Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE all reported attacks tied to Iranian drones or missiles. Kuwait specifically has accused Iran of involvement in strikes targeting critical infrastructure, including oil facilities, power stations, and desalination plants. Now, that last point is particularly important.
Kuwait and much of the Gulf depends heavily on desalinated water supplies. Sustained attacks against those systems would not just damage infrastructure, they could rapidly create humanitarian and economic crises.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–2:43
2
What accusations are being made against Iran in Kuwait?
2:43–5:06
3
How is the U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation evolving?
5:06–7:06
4
What frustrations is President Zelensky expressing towards the Trump administration?
7:06–7:34
5
How is North Korea benefiting from its support of Russia?
7:34–8:47
6
What significant events are surrounding the accusations against Iran?
8:47–23:38
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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