Indian national killed, flights suspended after drone strike targets Kuwait airport terminal

Wednesday 03 June 2026 6:12 PM IST

KUWAIT CITY: An Indian national has been killed and several others injured following a drone strike targeting Kuwait International Airport, local officials and diplomatic sources confirmed. The targeted attack has prompted a complete suspension of flight operations at the Gulf state's primary aviation hub.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait officially confirmed the casualty in a statement released on social media, though the identity of the deceased is currently being withheld pending family notification.

"Embassy of India in Kuwait expresses its deepest condolences at the tragic demise of an Indian national due to an attack on the airport in Kuwait today," the diplomatic mission stated. "The Embassy is in touch with the bereaved family and is closely coordinating with the Kuwaiti authorities to render all possible support and assistance to the bereaved family as well as those injured in the incident."

According to Brigadier General Saud Abdul Aziz Al-Otaibi, spokesperson for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence, the strike directly hit Terminal 1, causing structural damage to the main passenger complex. Ground operations and commercial flights were halted immediately following the incident as emergency services secured the site.

The strike marks a severe escalation in regional volatility, arriving less than 24 hours after a U.S. military operation against Iranian assets on Qeshm Island in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Prior to the airport attack, Tehran had claimed responsibility for a series of strikes aimed at U.S. military installations stationed within Kuwait and Bahrain. While Washington initially dismissed those claims, asserting that its air defence systems had successfully intercepted a wave of ballistic missiles, the subsequent hit on Kuwait's civilian infrastructure has heightened anxieties over a broader regional spillover.

Kuwaiti security forces and aviation authorities remain on high alert as damage assessments at the terminal continue.