Iran says damage at Kuwait airport terminal caused by US Patriot missile malfunction

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied on Wednesday that it had targeted Kuwait International Airport, saying damage to a passenger terminal was caused by a malfunctioning US-made Patriot missile system, according to the state broadcaster IRIB.

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said investigations showed that the force’s Aerospace Division had not fired at the Kuwaiti airport terminal.

“Our investigations regarding the impact on Kuwait’s passenger terminal show that the IRGC Aerospace Force did not fire at this target,” the spokesman said.

He claimed the damage was caused by a Patriot missile that fell on the terminal after failing to intercept Iranian missiles.

“The destruction of the passenger terminal at Kuwait Airport was caused by an American Patriot system error after it failed to intercept Iranian missiles,” he added.

The IRGC on Wednesday said it attacked a US base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, in retaliation for a US overnight attack on its communications tower on southern Qeshm Island.

Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday denied the claim that the damage to the airport was caused by a US missile interceptor.

"Totally false," said CENTCOM on US social media company X.

The command said Iran struck the civilian airport "with drones in a deliberate, calculated, and unjustified attack."

* Diyar Guldogan from Washington, DC contributed to this report.