Iranian strike shuts Kuwait airport and halts commercial flights
A drone and missile attack struck a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people and forcing authorities to suspend all commercial air traffic. The incident marked one of the most serious attacks on civilian infrastructure in Kuwait since regional tensions escalated in recent months.
Kuwait's General Directorate of Civil Aviation activated the airport's emergency response plan after Terminal 1 was hit during the attack. Authorities diverted all incoming flights to alternative airports and suspended departures until further notice. Officials said operations would remain halted while damage assessments and repair work were carried out across affected areas of the airport.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al Otaibi described the strike as the result of what he called Iranian aggression. He said the attack caused substantial damage to airport facilities and left several people injured. Kuwaiti authorities reported that all wounded individuals received medical treatment. Government sources also indicated that an Indian national was killed during the incident.
The disruption quickly spread across the aviation sector. Kuwait Airways suspended its operations indefinitely following the closure of national airspace. Indian carrier IndiGo also halted flights to and from Kuwait until at least June 4, citing safety concerns and operational restrictions linked to the attack.
The strike came only hours after a new round of military exchanges between Iran and the United States in the Gulf region. American forces carried out what they described as self-defense strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for retaliatory attacks against U.S. positions across the Gulf.
The attack on the civilian airport represented a significant escalation in a broader conflict that has increasingly affected Kuwait. Since late February, several incidents have targeted Kuwaiti facilities linked directly or indirectly to the regional confrontation. Earlier in the week, an Iranian ballistic missile strike against a Kuwaiti air base reportedly injured several American personnel and damaged two MQ-9 Reaper drones.
The latest disruption also undermined efforts to restore normal air traffic. Kuwait International Airport had only recently resumed limited commercial operations on June 1 after an earlier conflict-related shutdown. That recovery lasted just a few days before the new attack forced another suspension of services.
Despite the escalation, both Washington and Tehran have indicated that diplomatic channels remain open. Kuwaiti military officials said the country's armed forces remain on full alert and are prepared to respond to any further developments that could threaten national security or critical infrastructure.
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