Rubio Condemns Iran's Airport Strike on Kuwait, Offers Condolences to Victims
According to a U.S. State Department readout, Rubio condemned Iran's attack on Kuwait International Airport and other locations in the country, while extending condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday strongly condemned Iran's recent missile strike on Kuwait, describing the attack as "outrageous and unacceptable" during a meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in Washington.
According to a U.S. State Department readout, Rubio condemned Iran's attack on Kuwait International Airport and other locations in the country, while extending condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
The condemnation follows a missile strike on Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday that killed one person and wounded 63 others, marking the first deadly attack in the Gulf since a ceasefire between Iran and its adversaries took effect in April.
In response, Kuwait on Wednesday summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires, Hamed Hamid Yaqoubi Far, and ordered the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats. Kuwaiti authorities also delivered a formal protest note denouncing what they described as continued Iranian attacks and announced a reduction in staffing at the Iranian Embassy.
Kuwait rejected Iranian allegations that its territory or airspace had been used to launch attacks against other countries, insisting it had not facilitated military operations by foreign forces.
The missile strike temporarily shut down Kuwait International Airport and reportedly damaged diplomatic facilities. Kuwaiti officials said the attack killed an Indian national and injured dozens of others.
The incident has heightened concerns over the stability of the ceasefire that has largely held since April 8, ending more than a month of conflict sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Iran has accused Kuwait and Bahrain of allowing U.S. forces to use their territory to conduct operations against Iranian targets. While Tehran said its recent military actions targeted the U.S. Navy's regional headquarters in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Iranian authorities did not specifically identify Kuwait International Airport as a target.