Iran Strikes Kuwait Airport Again: Radar Hit, Airspace Closed, and a Deadly Pattern Deepens

Airspace Closure and Reopening

At 4:50 AM local time on June 11, Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced a temporary closure of the country's airspace as a precautionary measure, diverting all incoming flights to alternative airports . The DGCA stated the closure was necessary "to ensure the safety and security of air navigation and passengers" and would remain in effect until safety risks were confirmed eliminated .

Kuwait's military confirmed it was responding to "hostile" missile and drone attacks during the closure . After assessing the situation, authorities reopened the airspace later the same day, with the DGCA confirming that "air traffic in Kuwaiti airspace has returned to normal" and airport operations had resumed according to approved flight schedules .

A Broader Pattern of Iranian Attacks on Kuwait's Airport

The June 11 strike was not an isolated incident but part of a sustained campaign of Iranian attacks on Kuwait International Airport since February 2026, as part of the broader "2026 Iran war" . The attacks have grown increasingly deadly and destructive.

February 28, 2026

An Iranian drone struck the airport, causing damage to a terminal and minor injuries to several workers . The strike also hit a fuel tank, sparking a fire that emergency crews worked to contain . Kuwaiti military intelligence indicated the attack was part of a broader Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets .

March 14, 2026

Multiple drones struck the airport's primary surveillance radar system, with the DGCA confirming the civilian secondary surveillance radar was rendered inoperable . No injuries were reported in this incident, but the precision targeting of critical air traffic control infrastructure signaled a dangerous escalation.

March 28, 2026

In one of the most damaging attacks on airport infrastructure, multiple drone assaults struck the airport and caused "considerable harm" to the radar system . The DGCA spokesperson Abdullah Al-Rajhi confirmed significant damage, though no injuries were reported . The attack drew widespread condemnation, with Kuwaiti authorities blaming Iran, its proxies, and allied armed groups for the strikes .

June 3, 2026 — The Deadly Terminal 1 Attack

The deadliest attack in the series occurred at dawn on June 3, when Iranian drones and ballistic missiles struck Terminal 1 of Kuwait International Airport . An Indian national was killed, and 63 people were injured, with injuries including head wounds, cerebral hemorrhages, amputations, and blast injuries . Seven people required emergency surgery .

Kuwait's Defense Ministry labeled the attack "criminal Iranian aggression" . The country suspended all flights before partially resuming operations through Terminal 4 later the same day . The attack drew international condemnation, with India's External Affairs Ministry calling it an assault on civilians and civilian infrastructure .

Kuwait's Diplomatic Response

Kuwait has responded forcefully through diplomatic channels. After the June 3 attack, the Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Iran's "brutal and continued attacks" and stressed that Kuwait "reserves the full right to respond" . The ministry reported that strikes had damaged "vital facilities, including diplomatic missions" .

Following the June 11 radar strike, Kuwait's civil aviation body formally reported the attack to the ICAO, detailing the damage to radar facilities and the injuries caused . The country's air defenses continued to engage hostile targets, and Kuwaiti authorities maintained close coordination with regional partners to monitor the security situation .

Iran's Stated Justifications

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has framed its attacks on Kuwait as retaliation for U.S. military actions in the region. The June 3 Terminal 1 strike was described as a direct response to U.S. CENTCOM self-defense strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island and the Goruk drone command site conducted on June 2 .

However, the IRGC also denied deliberately targeting Kuwait's airport, claiming that damage was caused by a malfunctioning U.S.-made Patriot missile that fell after failing to intercept Iranian missiles . U.S. Central Command rejected this claim .

The broader context is a cycle of retaliatory strikes between Iran and the United States, with Kuwait and other Gulf states caught in the middle despite not being direct parties to the conflict . The IRGC claimed it hit 18 targets at U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes, suggesting the airport may have been caught up in attacks aimed at nearby military facilities .

Impact on Gulf Aviation

The repeated attacks on Kuwait International Airport have had severe consequences for civilian aviation in the Gulf. Each strike has triggered airspace closures and flight diversions, disrupting travel for thousands of passengers. The June 11 closure forced incoming flights to alternative airports . The pattern of attacks since February has repeatedly shut down the country's only international airport, leaving travelers stranded and damaging Kuwait's aviation infrastructure .

Kuwait's airport is not the only target. Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf, causing at least 10 deaths in the UAE alone . The conflict has effectively stopped cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and targeted oil fields, refineries, and airports across Gulf Arab nations .

Regional Context and Ongoing Conflict

The attacks on Kuwait are part of the larger "2026 Iran war," which has drawn in the United States, Israel, and multiple Gulf states . By June 2026, the conflict had already seen an April 8 ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, but the June 3 attack on Kuwait represented the most significant post-ceasefire escalation and marked the first fatality from an Iranian strike on civilian infrastructure in Kuwait .

The targeting of civilian airports has underscored the vulnerability of Gulf states that previously considered themselves relatively safe from the direct consequences of regional conflicts . For Kuwait, a nation not directly involved in the war, the repeated attacks on its main airport have generated fear and anger among citizens and raised urgent questions about regional security and the protection of civilian infrastructure .