According to Kuwaiti authorities, a number of hostile drones targeted the airport’s main passenger terminal, causing extensive damage to Terminal 1, the country’s principal international gateway. The attack also resulted in multiple casualties.

Kuwait’s Health Ministry said 63 people were injured in the strikes, including several who required major emergency surgery. One person was reported killed. Authorities said vital airport facilities were damaged, forcing the suspension of commercial operations.

The attack comes only days after the airport had reopened following repairs from an earlier Iranian strike in late February, making it the second time in recent months that Kuwait’s main airport has been targeted.

Regional tensions intensify

The airport attack followed a dramatic exchange of strikes between Iran and the United States. Late on Tuesday, the US military announced retaliatory strikes against an Iranian military facility on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington said the operation came in response to Iranian missile launches targeting Kuwait and Bahrain. According to US officials, two missiles fired towards Kuwait broke apart before reaching their target, while American and Bahraini defence systems intercepted missiles and drones directed at Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Defence Ministry said three missiles and multiple drones were destroyed before reaching the island nation.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed responsibility for attacks against what it described as regional US military assets, including the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The IRGC said the strikes were retaliation for what it called American aggression and the targeting of an oil tanker attempting to reach Iran.

The US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, oversees naval operations across the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and parts of the Arabian Sea.

Civilian infrastructure increasingly affected

The latest attack highlights the growing impact of the conflict on civilian infrastructure throughout the Gulf region.

Kuwait has repeatedly come under Iranian fire since hostilities began on 28 February. Previous attacks have included a drone strike on a US tactical operations centre at Port Shuaiba on 1 March and damage to a government building in Kuwait City in early April.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the latest attack, describing it as a “dangerous escalation” and a violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty and international law.

In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry also criticised reported damage to diplomatic missions, noting that attacks on diplomatic premises violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The closure of Kuwait International Airport is expected to cause significant disruption to regional passenger traffic and cargo operations, particularly as Gulf airspace remains under increased military scrutiny.

Diplomatic uncertainty

The military escalation comes amid uncertainty surrounding diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.

Reports emerged on Tuesday suggesting Iran had halted communications with mediators involved in ceasefire negotiations linked to both the Iran conflict and the ongoing war in Lebanon. However, US President Donald Trump dismissed those claims, insisting discussions were continuing.

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously,” Trump wrote on social media, adding that it was time for Iran to reach a deal.

Meanwhile, the conflict has become increasingly intertwined with the fighting in Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah remains engaged in hostilities with Israel. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that any broader agreement must also address the situation in Lebanon.

As diplomatic efforts struggle to keep pace with military developments, the attack on Kuwait’s airport underscores the growing risk that critical civilian infrastructure could become increasingly caught in the crossfire of a conflict that is rapidly expanding beyond its original fronts.

L’article Kuwait suspends flights after Iranian drone attack damages airport terminal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Following the official reopening on 24 April, commercial flights resumed two days later, with the country’s national carrier, Kuwait Airways, and the low-cost airline Jazeera Airways, gradually restarting operations.

تعلن الخطوط الجوية الكويتية عن استئناف رحلاتها بشكل استثنائي ومحدود من مبنى الركاب 4، اعتباراً من يوم الأحد 26-4-2026.

Kuwait Airways announces the resumption of its flights on an exceptional and limited basis from Terminal 4, starting Sunday, 26-4-2026.
.… pic.twitter.com/v6gF1F6tzZ

— Kuwait Airways (@KuwaitAirways) April 23, 2026

The return to normal is being phased in, with the authorities aiming to progressively restore air traffic ahead of the full resumption of airport operations. In a statement carried by Kuwait News Agency, the country’s civil aviation authority said that the move is part of a “gradual resumption” plan.

Kuwait International Airport was hit directly during the conflict, with Iranian missiles and drones striking both terminals, including Terminal 2, which is still under construction, as well as its radar system and fuel storage facilities, which are the primary reasons for this staged approach to resuming normal operations.

Since the escalation began, both Kuwaiti airlines have temporarily relocated their operations to Dammam in Saudi Arabia, around a five-hour drive from Kuwait. In the early days of the conflict, travellers from across the Gulf also diverted there.

Until operations fully normalise, both airlines will continue to partially operate from Dammam.

Kuwait Airways is now restoring a first batch of 17 routes from its base in Kuwait, including to London, Istanbul, Mumbai, Cairo and Manila. Jazeera Airways is resuming services to Istanbul, Beirut, Damascus, Dubai, Cairo, Amman, Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi.

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At the time of writing, Kuwaiti carriers remain the only airlines to have confirmed their return to Kuwait Airport. Major European carriers, including Air France, Lufthansa, KLM and British Airways, have yet to lift their suspensions.

Recovery remains uneven across the region. Last week, Hamad International Airport announced it would resume operations.

Other regional carriers, including Oman Air, Royal Jordanian, Tarco Aviation and US-Bangla Airlines, resumed services on 23 April. Middle East Airlines is set to follow on 26 April, with Himalaya Airlines resuming on 28 April. Qatar Airways has been operating limited flights since 7 March, and this past week, Hamad International Airport began welcoming back a wider array of foreign carriers.

In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai International Airport, which was also impacted by Iranian projectiles during the conflict, resumed operations on 2 March. Emirates has now restored nearly 80% of its Dubai flight network, while smaller carriers such as flydubai and Air Arabia resumed operations more recently, on 21 and 22 April, respectively.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s airspace remained open throughout the conflict, though it experienced significant cancellations and delays. Some routes were scrapped entirely, including Virgin Atlantic’s, despite the fact that the company had only launched operations there a year earlier. Oman’s airspace also remained open, but was similarly affected.

Bahrain, Iraq and Israel reopened their airspace on 8 April following the ceasefire, while Iran partially reopened on 18 April.

However, the reopening of airspace does not necessarily signal an immediate return of tourism. As previously reported, the conflict has had a significant impact on traveller confidence, with potential losses across the region reaching billions. Many travellers are likely to remain cautious, waiting to see how the situation evolves before booking trips to the Middle East again.

L’article Flights resume in Kuwait as airspace reopens after Iran war disruption est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.