Drone Strike Damages Kuwait International Airport Terminal 1

‍KUWAIT — A drone strike hit Kuwait International Airport (KWI) on Feb. 28, 2026, damaging Terminal 1 (T1) and injuring several employees, according to Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The incident comes amid escalating regional tensions, which are already reshaping commercial aviation flows across the Gulf.

Multiple reports citing Kuwaiti civil aviation officials say the drone caused limited material damage at T1—opened 1979—and minor injuries to airport workers, and that authorities activated emergency procedures and are continuing to monitor developments.

While some reports describe the drone as “Iranian,” public sources differ on attribution. The most consistent information is the DGCA’s account of a drone targeting the airport, resulting in injuries and damage.

Kuwait's Regional Hub Plans

There are plans to "significantly increase capacity and create a new regional air hub” in Irak. These plan refers to KWI and specifically its new Terminal 2 (T2) designed by Foster + Partners and built by Limak Holding.

Kuwait’s regional air hub plan is still alive, but running years behind the early targets—and it’s now best understood as a late-2026 opening trajectory for the Foster + Partners Terminal 2 (T2), with key airfield pieces already coming online.

Whether today's drone attack delays KWI's T2 upgrades remains to be seen.

Kuwait International Airport serves as the main hub for Kuwait Airways (KU), Kuwait’s flag carrier. Based at KWI in Al Farwaniyah Governorate, the airline operates scheduled international services across the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America.

Airspace Closures, Reroutes, Suspended Schedules

The strike on KWI lands amid a broader operational shock across the Middle East airspace. 

Airlines are suspending or rerouting flights as airspaces across several countries in the region are restricted or temporarily closed, with knock-on effects on hub connectivity, aircraft positioning, and global schedule integrity. 

The disruption is most evident at major Gulf connecting hubs. Airlines and airport authorities advise passengers to check flight status before traveling to airports such as Dubai (DXB), 

Dubai World Central (DWC) and Doha (DOH) cancellations and delays are expected to continue as operations resume, due to displaced aircraft and crews.