A drone strike on a passenger terminal in Kuwait’s international airport wounded several people Wednesday and forced air traffic to be suspended, as Iranian and US forces traded attacks in the Gulf.
The attacks marked one of the more severe tests yet of a fragile April 8 ceasefire, that has largely held despite sporadic strikes after more than a month of war sparked by the US and Israeli attack on Iran.
Kuwaiti officials blamed the attack on the airport on Iran, whose Revolutionary Guards accused US forces of triggering the night’s sequence of attacks by targeting a communications tower on the country’s Qeshm Island, forcing it to respond.
But, with Bahrein also complaining of an overnight drone attacks from Iran, the United Arab Emirates attempted to rally its Gulf neighbours in opposition to Tehran.
“In light of Iran’s repeated aggression against the sisterly states of Kuwait and Bahrain, a firm, unified, and cohesive Gulf stance is imperative,” UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash posted on social media.
“This aggression does not just target one country, it targets us all.”
Kuwait’s ministry of defence spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan described the airport strikes as “criminal Iranian aggression which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries”.
Al-Atwan did not say how many people were hurt but said those wounded had received medical care.
Kuwait’s state news agency Kuna said the civil aviation authority had suspended air traffic and transferred arriving flights to alternative airports after “Terminal One came under Iranian attacks causing casualties and damage”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards did not confirm they had targeted the airport.
Source: Insider Paper
