Kuwait temporarily closed its primary airport Wednesday following Iranian drone strikes that severely damaged the facility and left one person dead — marking the most recent escalation in ongoing military exchanges between Tehran and Washington that continue to challenge a delicate ceasefire agreement.
The attacks occurred as semi-official Iranian news outlets reported that the nation had ceased communication with mediators regarding ceasefire extension talks in the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel. A regional official indicated Tehran demanded enforcement of the Lebanon truce before resuming negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump disputed claims that talks had stopped.
These negotiations have continued for weeks, while repeated military exchanges in the Gulf area and Israel’s expanding Lebanese conflict continue to complicate diplomatic efforts.
Meanwhile, Iran continues controlling the Strait of Hormuz — a vital pathway for global oil and natural gas transportation — while the U.S. maintains its blockade of Iranian ports, keeping worldwide fuel costs elevated and extending the conflict’s impact beyond the immediate region.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi reported that “a number of hostile drones” struck Kuwait International Airport’s passenger terminal, causing extensive damage and wounding “a number of individuals.”
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed at least one fatality.
Government media announced Kuwait Airways halted operations. Aviation officials reported the airport partially resumed service later Wednesday, with Kuwait Airways flights restarting from an undamaged terminal. Other airline operations remained suspended.
The facility had only resumed operations Monday after shuttering early in the conflict.
The U.S. military reported Iran launched two missiles toward Kuwait that broke apart during flight, and confirmed it had “downed multiple drones” targeting American personnel in the nation.
Military officials also stated U.S. and Bahraini forces stopped missiles directed at the Gulf kingdom, which houses the U.S Navy’s 5th fleet. Bahrain’s Defense Ministry confirmed its forces intercepted and eliminated three missiles and several drones launched by Iran.
The U.S. military announced it conducted strikes against an Iranian military ground control facility on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, responding to the attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard confirmed targeting the 5th Fleet headquarters and U.S. military installations in another nation, though it didn’t specifically mention Kuwait. The organization stated these strikes retaliated for attacks on Qeshm Island.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry denounced the U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island, reporting a telecommunications tower was hit, along with other previous attacks. Officials labeled them “acts of aggression” that violated the ceasefire terms.
A senior Emirati diplomat urged Wednesday for “a firm, unified, and cohesive Gulf position” against Iran following the attacks.
“This aggression does not target a specific state, but rather all of us,” Anwar Gargash posted on the X platform.
Iran’s Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both considered close to the Guard, stated that Iran’s negotiators ceased communicating with ceasefire mediators as tensions escalated in Israel’s separate but connected battle against the Iranian-supported Hezbollah militant organization in Lebanon.
A regional official participating in mediation efforts, speaking anonymously to discuss the negotiations, informed The Associated Press that Iran had not communicated Tuesday after stating that Lebanon ceasefire enforcement was necessary for continued negotiations.
Trump described reports of halted talks as “false and erroneous.”
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump stated in a social media message. “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal.”
Israeli forces have advanced deeper into Lebanon than at any point in over twenty-five years — despite a nominal ceasefire existing between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon has become a critical obstacle in Trump’s efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement with Iran.
Tehran demands that any broader potential truce in the conflict must also end the Lebanese fighting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prefers keeping the issues separate and faces significant domestic pressure to attack Hezbollah while preparing for upcoming fall elections.
The conflict has revealed tensions between close allies Israel and the U.S., with the U.S. advocating for restraint while Israel seeks to increase military pressure on Hezbollah.
A person knowledgeable about the situation described a “tense” conversation between Netanyahu and Trump earlier this week. The individual spoke anonymously because they lacked authorization to speak publicly. The person provided no additional details about the call.
