Kuwait's government says its state-run news agency has been hacked which led to false reports about the withdrawal of US troops from the country.

On Wednesday, Kuwait News Agency, or KUNA, tweeted that the country's defense minister received a letter from a US commander in Kuwait, declaring the withdrawal of US troops within three days.

Media including Reuters and Saudi-backed satellite broadcaster Al Arabiya TV reported the information as breaking news.

The incident comes after Iran's missile strikes on US troops in Iraq.

The false report was mistakenly seen as a new US move related to the conflict.

The Kuwait government did not mention who may be behind the hacking.

Observers believe an information war is going on behind the scenes.

In 2017, when Qatar's state-run news agency was hacked, misinformation affected diplomatic relations among Middle Eastern and other countries.

NHK