Kuwait's military has confirmed that an Iranian drone strike on a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport killed one person and wounded 63 others. The attack, which occurred overnight, marks the first deadly incident in the Gulf since a ceasefire between the US and Iran came into effect on 8 April.
The strike came amid ongoing exchanges of fire between US and Iranian forces. US Central Command said it had targeted an unladen tanker, the M/T Lexie, near Iran's Kharg Island, disabling its engine after the crew ignored warnings. In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have attacked the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, a claim denied by the US military.
US President Donald Trump, in an interview released on Wednesday, said talks with Iran were continuing and he was not seeking escalation, stating, 'We don't need boots on the ground now.' He later suggested Iran was 'pretty close' to signing a peace agreement, which 'could happen over the weekend.' However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran was 'playing with fire' and that Trump could order a 'full-scale return to military action' if negotiations fail.
Kuwait's foreign ministry summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires to protest the attack, declared two Iranian diplomats persona non grata, and ordered a reduction in Iranian embassy staff. Iran's foreign ministry blamed Kuwait and Bahrain for allowing the US to use their territory for 'aggressive plans' against Iran.
The IRGC threatened further strikes if the US renews attacks, with military adviser Mohsen Rezaee posting on X: 'Every shot fired and every attack will be met with a deluge of missiles and drones.' The US military reported shooting down three Iranian attack drones targeting civilian mariners.
