Iran Strikes Kuwait Airport, Killing One, as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Teeters
KUWAIT CITY — Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Kuwait’s main airport before dawn Wednesday, killing a foreign national and wounding at least 63 people, in a sharp escalation that threatened to shatter the already fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Tehran described the assault as retaliation for what it called “self-defense strikes” by American forces on Iranian military positions, but Kuwaiti officials rejected that justification as baseless.
The attack marked one of the most serious cross-border strikes since the U.S. and Iran entered a tentative truce three months ago. While Washington and Tehran have been trading fire in recent weeks, the targeting of a civilian airport in a Gulf state raised fears of a wider regional conflagration that could draw in other Arab nations and further disrupt global energy markets.
Kuwait Condemns 'Criminal Attacks,' Expels Iranian Diplomats
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s acting chargé d’affaires and declared two Iranian diplomats persona non grata, ordering them out of the country within 24 hours. The ministry said the decision came in response to “Iran’s criminal attacks using ballistic missiles and drones” that struck Kuwait International Airport, causing one fatality and extensive damage to civilian facilities, including diplomatic missions.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry later confirmed that its forces had intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 17 hostile drones, but debris from the interceptions rained down over populated areas. The health ministry said 63 injured people were taken to hospitals, with seven requiring urgent major surgeries. The deceased was identified as an Indian national.
Trump Insists Talks Continue, but Iran Signals Suspension
President Trump on Tuesday denied reports from Iranian state media that Tehran had halted indirect negotiations with the U.S. and insisted that “conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today.” But semi-official Iranian news agencies Fars and Tasnim reported that the exchange of messages had stopped days earlier, with Tehran demanding an end to Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon as a condition for any broader deal.
The conflicting signals underscored the deep mistrust on both sides. Trump told the New York Post that he had yet to decide whether to sign an agreement with Iran, warning that if a deal fails, “the other way is not nice.” He also confirmed that he had called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “f---ing crazy” in a phone call, saying he was “perturbed” by Israel’s actions in Lebanon, which he believed were hampering peace talks.
Oil Creeps Toward $100 as Markets Eye Strait of Hormuz
The renewed fighting pushed oil prices higher Wednesday, with Brent crude rising 1.6% to $97.51 per barrel, inching back toward the $100 mark. The spike reflects investor anxiety over the stability of the ceasefire and the potential for a full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. Energy experts warned that even if a peace deal is reached, it could take months to years for fuel prices to normalize. U.S. gasoline averaged $4.29 a gallon on Tuesday, well above the $2.98 level before the war began.
Despite the oil jitters, stock markets held relatively steady. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from its record, while the Dow fell 122 points. Tech stocks continued to rally on artificial intelligence optimism, with chipmaker Marvell Technology surging 32% after Nvidia’s CEO called it the next trillion-dollar company.
Gulf States Call for Unity Against 'Iranian Aggression'
Anwar Gargash, a senior advisor to the UAE president, called on all Persian Gulf nations to stand unified, writing on social media that “this aggression does not target a specific country alone; it targets all of us.” Bahrain confirmed its air defense systems shot down three missiles and several drones aimed at the kingdom, while Kuwait reiterated its “categorical rejection of the use of its territory or airspace for hostile actions.”
The attacks also drew condemnation from the United Nations. Secretary-General António Guterres proposed three options for restructuring the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, warning that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could further destabilize the region.
Regional Fallout: Lebanon’s Army Accuses Israel of Deliberate Targeting
Lebanon’s army said one soldier was killed and two more wounded by Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks Wednesday, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting its personnel amid a broader operation that aimed to displace residents from southern villages. Israel has pushed miles into Lebanese territory over the past weeks, asserting that its campaign against Hezbollah will continue until the Iranian-backed group no longer threatens Israeli civilians.
Hezbollah, a powerful paramilitary and political force in Lebanon, has been exchanging daily fire with Israel despite a nominal ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration. The group has dragged Lebanon into the regional war by launching attacks on Israel days after the U.S. and Israel began their offensive against Iran.
U.S. Military Conducts 'Self-Defense Strikes' on Qeshm Island
U.S. Central Command said it struck an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island and other targets in response to the Iranian barrage. CENTCOM confirmed that no American personnel were harmed and that U.S. and Bahraini forces intercepted missiles aimed at Bahrain. The Pentagon described the operations as “self-defense strikes” consistent with the ceasefire framework — but the tit-for-tat exchanges have eroded the truce’s credibility.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed its missiles destroyed targets at U.S. bases in Kuwait and warned that any further U.S. attacks “will be met with a shocking, crushing, and decisive response that goes beyond conventional rules and limits.”
What’s Next: Ceasefire on the Brink
The core sticking point remains Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, which Iran sees as an inseparable part of any deal. Trump has publicly expressed frustration with Netanyahu’s military strategy, but he has also pledged to remain a “wartime president.” With oil prices climbing, stock markets volatile, and Gulf states demanding action, the window for a diplomatic solution is narrowing. The next 48 hours could determine whether the ceasefire holds or descends into a broader regional war.