Gulf hostilities escalated on Wednesday as Iranian attacks on Kuwait resulted in one fatality and at least 63 injuries, causing significant damage to the international airport. The attack prompted Kuwait to suspend commercial flights following an Iranian drone strike that heavily damaged the country's airport. This incident occurred shortly after Iran and the United States exchanged missile strikes in the region.
Details of the Attack
Defense Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi confirmed that multiple hostile drones targeted Kuwait International Airport's passenger building, causing severe damage and injuring several individuals. Kuwait's Foreign Ministry later reported at least one death and additional injuries. Among the casualties was an Indian national, whose death was condemned by India's foreign ministry.
Kuwait's Denial of Iranian Claims
Kuwait firmly denied Iranian allegations that its territory or airspace was used for attacks against any country. The Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan issuing a categorical rejection of the claims, stating they were baseless and lacked evidence. The airport had only reopened on Monday after being closed since February due to the Iran war.
Iran's Response
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on X that any hostile act would be met with an immediate, decisive response. He confirmed that the Armed Forces were conducting self-defense strikes on sites that the U.S. was permitted to use for attacking civilian shipping and violating the ceasefire. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have targeted the headquarters of the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain and another unnamed country, in response to a US missile strike on an oil tanker attempting to reach Iran despite a blockade.
US Military Actions
The US military carried out defensive strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats laying mines, as well as conducting strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command responded with strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Ceasefire Talks and Regional Tensions
Semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported that Tehran had stopped communicating with mediators about extending a ceasefire in the war with the US and Israel. However, US President Donald Trump disputed this claim, stating that talks were ongoing. Tensions also flared in Israel's separate conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
Kuwait's Defense Measures
Kuwait's military reported tracking and intercepting 13 hostile ballistic missiles and 17 hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace since dawn on Wednesday. Debris fell in several residential areas. The military stated that Iran targeted civilian and vital facilities, including the airport, resulting in the death of an Indian expatriate, injuries to several people, and significant material damage.
