Iran attack on Kuwait airport kills one Indian national, injures 63 as Kuwait expels two embassy staff

An Iranian missile and drone attack struck Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday, killing one Indian national and injuring 63 people in the first deadly strike on the Gulf since an April 8 ceasefire took effect. Kuwait temporarily closed the airport and ordered two Iranian embassy staff to leave the country within 24 hours.

Why did Iran attack Kuwait airport today?

Iran said it targeted Kuwait's Ali Al Salem Air Base in response to U.S. strikes it blamed on Kuwaiti territory. Tehran accused Kuwait and Bahrain of allowing the United States to use their soil to attack an Iranian oil tanker and a communications tower on Qeshm Island. Kuwait denies providing its territory for such operations.

How many people were killed and injured in the Kuwait airport attack?

Health ministry spokesman Abdullah al-Sanad said 25 ambulances were dispatched to Kuwait International Airport after the strike. Sixty-three people were treated across hospitals, including serious injuries such as head wounds, cerebral hemorrhages and amputations. Victims included civilians, airport workers and travelers.

The Indian foreign ministry confirmed that one of its citizens was killed at the airport and condemned the strike. An airport source told AFP the deceased was a traveler. India called on all parties to stop attacks on civilian targets.

Kuwait's defense ministry spokesman Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan said 30 ballistic missiles and drones were launched in what he described as a heinous act of aggression, causing significant material damage to the terminal building. Kuwait's state news agency said civil aviation authorities suspended traffic and diverted arriving flights to alternative airports after Terminal One was hit.

What damage did Iran's attack cause at Kuwait International Airport?

Kuwait's foreign ministry said the Iranian strikes damaged unnamed diplomatic missions in the country in addition to hitting the airport. Air traffic partially resumed later in the day, with Kuwait Airways flights operating again. The airport had only fully resumed operations on June 1 after earlier strikes during the war.

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The airport compound includes Cargo City, a facility used by U.S. forces, though it sits at a distance from the civilian terminals.

How did the U.S. military respond to the Iranian attack on Kuwait?

The U.S. military said it had successfully defeated a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain. U.S. Central Command said two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart before reaching their target, while three missiles launched at Bahrain were intercepted by U.S. and Bahraini air defense forces. CENTCOM stated that all Iranian attacks on American forces failed.

Bahrain authorities confirmed they had intercepted three missiles and a number of drones. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they also targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet's headquarters in Bahrain as part of the same operation.

What diplomatic action did Kuwait take after the Iranian airport attack?

Kuwait's deputy foreign minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires and handed him a formal protest note. Kuwait declared two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata and demanded their departure within 24 hours. The move marks a significant diplomatic escalation between the two countries.

The attack tests a ceasefire that has largely held since April 8 despite sporadic strikes. The broader conflict began in late February when the United States and Israel attacked Iran and killed senior members of its leadership. Iran has since launched thousands of missiles and drones at Gulf nations during more than a month of fighting.