Kuwait's main international airport sustained significant damage after Iranian drones struck a passenger terminal, killing one person and wounding several others. The attack came as part of an escalating series of military exchanges between the United States and Iran that continued to threaten diplomatic efforts aimed at establishing a ceasefire.
Kuwaiti defense officials described the incident as a deliberate act of aggression. "Criminal Iranian aggression resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries," said Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan, a defense ministry spokesperson. Kuwaiti civil aviation authorities suspended air traffic following the strike and diverted arriving flights to alternative airports.
The Iranian attack followed a US military operation that struck an Iranian tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. The US military disabled the M/T Lexie, a Botswana-flagged vessel, by firing a missile at its engine after the crew ignored repeated warnings over a 24-hour period. American forces said the tanker was attempting to pass through international waters toward Iran's Kharg Island.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps responded by launching missiles and drones at US military positions in Bahrain, though the US military's Central Command denied that these strikes caused any damage. US forces also reported shooting down three Iranian attack drones aimed at civilian vessels in regional waters and conducted strikes against an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island.
The IRGC justified its response by claiming the initial US strike on the tanker constituted unprovoked aggression. The Iranian military said the strike damaged the vessel's engine room and warned that its retaliation should serve as a warning.
This latest exchange underscores the deteriorating diplomatic situation despite optimistic statements from US officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that a deal with Iran remained within reach and claimed the Iranian government had agreed to discuss nuclear program aspects previously off the table.
However, Iran's position contradicts this assessment. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that any violation of a ceasefire on one front constitutes a violation across all fronts, explicitly linking negotiations to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Iran has indicated it may suspend peace talks with the United States in protest of Israeli strikes there.
This represents the sixth vessel that US forces have disabled since beginning their blockade of Iran in April. The military said it had redirected 122 vessels attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports. Previous Iranian strikes targeted a military base in Kuwait that Tehran claimed was involved in US operations.
The continued military exchanges demonstrate both sides' willingness to pursue military action despite ongoing diplomatic channels, raising serious questions about prospects for achieving a lasting ceasefire agreement.