Kuwait blames Iran for deadly airport attack as war escalates: What to know

Iran struck Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday, severely damaging the facility and leaving at least one dead. The attack prompted widespread condemnation in the Gulf as Kuwait summoned Iran's charge d'affaires to deliver an official protest. 

What happened: The Kuwaiti army’s General Staff Quarters said it confronted “hostile missile and drone attacks” at around 1:00 a.m. local time. The army later confirmed that Terminal 1 of Kuwait International Airport was targeted, blaming the attack on “criminal Iranian aggression.” The army said 17 drones and 13 ballistic missiles were used in the attack.

Footage widely shared on social media showed significant structural damage to the facility. 

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said that vital facilities and diplomatic missions were damaged and one person was killed. The official Kuwait News Agency reported that 63 people were injured and air traffic was temporarily suspended as a result of the attack. The agency reported at around 12:00 p.m. local time that flights had resumed via Terminal 4. 

Later on Wednesday, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry summoned the charge d’affaires of the Iranian Embassy to lodge an official protest of the attacks. Kuwait also expelled two Iranian diplomats.

US Central Command said that a wave of Iranian drones attempted to attack American forces in the country but “failed to impact intended targets.” CENTCOM said that US forces had downed an unspecified number of the unmanned aerial vehicles. 

There are around 13,000 US troops in Kuwait, primarily at the Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring and Ali Al Salem bases, all of which are dozens of miles from the airport. The US Embassy in Kuwait is located about 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) from the airport. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain as well as other unspecified American military targets in the region. The IRGC said the strikes were in response to American attacks on Iran’s Qeshm island. 

CENTCOM said it struck Qeshm Island on Tuesday in response to attempted attacks by Iran across the Middle East. 

Why it matters: The IRGC and Iran-backed militias in Iraq have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks on Kuwait since the start of the US-Israel-Iran war in late February. The army said on Wednesday that 869 drones, 372 ballistic missiles and 15 cruise missiles have been fired at Kuwait so far.

In addition to hosting thousands of American troops, Kuwait is a relatively close target, bordering Iraq and being located just across the northern tip of the Gulf from Iran. 

The US-based conflict monitor ACLED wrote in a May 21 report that Iraqi militia strikes over the course of the war have “concentrated” on Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as Saudi Arabia. The organization documented 65 Iraqi militia attacks on Gulf countries since the start of the war.

The attacks on Kuwait’s airport and Bahrain were both widely condemned in the region, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and others issuing statements. 

Wednesday’s strike on the airport marks at least the third time Kuwait has come under fire since the April 8 ceasefire between the United States and Iran. A day after the truce, Kuwait reported a drone attack on its territory. Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said that IRGC forces arrived at Bubiyan Island on May 1 and exchanged fire with Kuwaiti forces. The Iranian government denied the allegation. 

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq several times over the course of the war. 

Know more: Kuwaiti authorities have accused Iran of seeking to undermine internal security. In May, the Interior Ministry said it arrested four IRGC-affiliated individuals for allegedly participating in the infiltration of Bubiyan Island. Kuwait has also arrested dozens of people accused of working with Lebanon’s Hezbollah since the start of the war.