Kuwait airport update: Amid the US-Iran conflict, a drone struck the main airport in Kuwait City on Saturday, officials confirmed on Saturday. Workers at the Terminal 1 building sustained minor injuries. Videos from the scene showed chaos and destruction.
“A drone targeted Kuwait International Airport, resulting in minor injuries to a number of employees, in addition to limited material damage to the passenger terminal,” authorities said in a statement.
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Flights disrupted amid missile strikes
Airlines worldwide canceled or diverted hundreds of flights on Saturday as several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace in response to heightened regional tensions. Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, southern Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman’s Muscat International Airport all shut down their skies, according to flight tracking data from FlightRadar24.
Planes already en route to major hubs like Tel Aviv and Dubai were forced to return to their departure airports or divert to alternative destinations.
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Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international passengers, reported more than 700 cancellations of inbound and outbound flights. The airport operator announced that operations at both Dubai International and Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International Airport were halted indefinitely.
The closures created widespread ripple effects. Air India canceled all flights to Middle Eastern destinations. Turkish Airlines suspended service to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until Monday, with additional cancellations possible for Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman.
US carriers Delta and United suspended flights to Tel Aviv at least through the weekend. KLM had already halted service to and from Tel Aviv earlier in the week. Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, Qatar Airways, and Pegasus also canceled all flights to Lebanon.
Virgin Atlantic rerouted flights to avoid Iraqi airspace, adding time to routes to India, the Maldives, and Riyadh; it already avoids Iranian airspace and ensures sufficient fuel for potential short-notice diversions.
British Airways suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until next week and canceled Saturday service to Amman, Jordan.
India’s civil aviation authority designated much of the Middle East—including airspace over Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, as a high-security risk zone at all altitudes. Travelers faced significant disruptions.
Airlines urged passengers to check flight status online before heading to airports. Some carriers issued waivers allowing rebooking without extra fees or fare increases.