Kuwait suspended commercial flights after an Iranian drone attack damaged its international airport, injuring several people. The strike came hours after the United States and Iran traded missile and drone attacks, marking a significant escalation in regional military tensions.
The escalation began when U.S. forces fired a Hellfire missile to disable a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. The vessel, the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie, was heading toward Iran's Kharg Island after its crew ignored repeated warnings over 24 hours. U.S. Central Command said the aircraft targeted the tanker's engine as it passed through international waters.
In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it attacked the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain with missiles and drones. U.S. Central Command denied that any facilities were hit. Kuwait's military reported that its air defenses were intercepting missile and drone attacks and warned the public not to approach debris or unidentified objects from the interceptions.
According to U.S. Central Command, two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart during their flight. Three missiles targeting Bahrain were intercepted by U.S. and Bahrain air defenses. The U.S. military also defended against additional drones targeting American forces in Kuwait and said no personnel were harmed. U.S. forces shot down three Iranian attack drones that were launched toward civilian ships in regional waters.
In response, American forces conducted strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island.
The latest exchange of fire highlights the breakdown in diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that a deal with Iran was within reach and that the regime had agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear program previously off the table. However, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Iran would suspend peace talks with the U.S. in protest of Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Araghchi stated that "the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts."
The incident adds to growing instability in the region. This is the sixth ship that U.S. military forces have disabled since their blockade of Iran began in April. The U.S. military said it had redirected 122 vessels seeking to enter or exit Iranian ports. Kuwait's airport closure will disrupt travel throughout the Middle East and affect thousands of passengers.