A drone strike believed to be launched by Iranian forces hit Kuwait International Airport this afternoon, killing at least one person and wounding dozens more. Sources on the ground confirm the attack targeted a military hangar on the eastern edge of the airfield, where a foreign contractor was killed. Emergency services rushed to the scene as plumes of black smoke rose above the terminal.
The strike comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, with Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly testing new drone capabilities. Kuwait's foreign ministry has summoned the Iranian chargé d'affaires, and the UN Security Council is expected to hold emergency consultations. Hospital records reviewed by this reporter show 23 casualties, mostly Kuwaiti ground crew and two American contractors with non-life-threatening injuries.
This is the first direct Iranian attack on Kuwaiti soil since the 1980s. The question now is whether this is a one-off provocation or the start of a wider campaign. The Pentagon has declined to comment, but a defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said US assets in the region are on heightened alert.
Witnesses described a low-flying drone that struck just before 3pm local time. 'It came out of nowhere. No warning. Just a blast that shook the whole building,' said an airport security guard who asked not to be named. Officials are investigating whether the drone was launched from a vessel in the Gulf or from Iranian territory.
Kuwait has long served as a staging ground for US-led coalition operations. This attack could force a recalculation of force posture in the region. Already, the emir has ordered a full review of air defence systems. But the damage may be done: one dead, dozens wounded, and a nation now on edge.
Follow this reporter for updates as the story unfolds.
