Kuwait demands two Iran embassy staff leave after deadly attack

US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon are underway at the US State Department for the second day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.

“As I speak to you now, for the second consecutive day, and for the first time in many, many years, the leaders of the legitimate government of Lebanon and leaders from the government of Israel are seated at the State Department for the second day in a row, and hopefully today will produce a joint statement and an action plan on the track for security in that country,” Rubio told House Foreign Affairs lawmakers Wednesday.

He noted there had been a similar military-level meeting last week at the Pentagon.

Hezbollah claimed an attack on Israeli troops in northern Israel on Wednesday as Israeli and Lebanese officials began a second day of direct talks in Washington that Hezbollah opposes.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that "in response to the Israeli enemy army's violation of the ceasefire", its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy army soldiers" in northern Israel with a rocket barrage.

Israeli officials have warned the military will strike Beirut's southern suburbs if the Iran-backed group launches projectiles targeting Israeli communities in the north, a stance they say has backing from Washington.

Kuwait said on Wednesday that its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country", denying Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from there.

The denial came as Kuwait summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan issuing "Kuwait's categorical rejection of the use of its territory or airspace in any hostile acts against any country, emphasising that the false Iranian claims are baseless and do not rely on evidence", a ministry statement said.

US President Donald Trump was quoted as saying by Saudi Gazette said on Wednesday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is directly involved in negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement to end the conflict between Washington and Tehran.

“He’s involved, absolutely. Yeah, I think they have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said of Khamenei during an interview with Pod Force One.

Read the full statement here:

Kuwait has ordered two Iranian diplomats to leave the country within 24 hours, in a further escalation of tensions following Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti territory.

Kuwait's deputy foreign affairs minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Kuwait, Hamed Hamid Yaqoubi Far, and "handed him an official protest note regarding the continued Iranian attacks and the decision to reduce the number of members of the Iranian Embassy in the country and to consider two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata, and request their departure from the territory of the State of Kuwait within a maximum period of 24 hours", the ministry said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry said the move was part of diplomatic measures taken in response to Iran's recent missile and drone attacks targeting Kuwait International Airport, which left dozens of casualties and caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure. The decision comes as Kuwait continues to coordinate with regional and international partners amid the unfolding crisis.

Saudi Arabia's economy has shown resilience in the face of headwinds triggered by the Middle East war thanks in part to energy and logistics infrastructure that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, the IMF said Wednesday.

The Gulf has borne much of the brunt of the war since it began with a wave of US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.

"The Saudi economy is proving resilient in the face of the war in the Middle East thanks to strong fundamentals and diversified logistical and oil infrastructure," the International Monetary Fund said in a report.

"The war has nonetheless disrupted its momentum, curtailing oil exports and weighing on non-oil activity and confidence."

India approved a $1 billion support package for airlines on Wednesday to cushion the impact of soaring aviation fuel costs triggered by the Iran war.

The conflict has engulfed the oil-rich Middle East and choked the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world's oil usually passes, sending aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices soaring.

The crisis has sparked concerns over carrier profitability and led to a hike in fares.

The one-off payment would be provided as interest-free advances to state-run oil marketing companies to help steady ATF prices for carriers operating domestically and internationally, the government said.

"The measure will help protect and sustain domestic and international air connectivity, ensuring continuity of air services," it said in a statement.

Government data shows ATF prices have more than doubled since March, rising from 60.50 rupees ($0.63) per litre to 142 rupees ($1.49) in May.

Fuel accounts for around 40 percent of an airline's operating costs and spiralling costs pile pressure on margins.

US President Donald Trump has confirmed a tense exchange with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he reportedly berated his close ally with expletives.

In an interview published Wednesday in the New York Post, Trump was asked about the conversation he had with Netanyahu over the phone on Monday.

"You said, 'Are you [expletive] crazy? What are you [expletive] doing? I helped you stay out of jail.' Is that true? Did you speak to him in those terms?" the interviewer asked.

"I did," Trump responded. "I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon."

"I said, 'Bibi, we gotta stop this.'"

Trump went on to say he had a "very good relationship" with Netanyahu. "We've done well together... I like Bibi a lot."

Trump unleashed the profane tirade over Israel's threats to bomb the Lebanese capital Beirut, fearing it would undermine talks with Tehran to end the war in the Middle East, the Axios news outlet and ABC News reported.

The exchange underscored the shaky ties between two right-wing allies who started the war by launching an attack on Iran in late February that spread to Israel striking Lebanon.

Israeli media have rejected the account of the conversation.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday claimed an attack against Kuwait, which it said was in retaliation for US attacks on an Iranian oil tanker and island.

"In response to this aggression, the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which hosts helicopters, as well as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, were targeted with missiles and drones by the Guards' forces," the Guards said in a statement on their official Telegram channel.

Kuwait's air defences intercepted 13 missiles and 17 drones launched from Iran, authorities said, as the country continued to assess the impact of the attacks. The strikes killed an Indian resident and injured 63 others, while causing significant damage to civilian infrastructure and vital facilities, according to official statements. The government said emergency response and recovery efforts remain under way.

US President Donald Trump said he "would like to meet" Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in an interview published Wednesday.

"I would like to meet him, and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out," Trump told the New York Post's "Pod Force One".

Israeli authorities on Wednesday extended the detention of a player on the Palestinian women's national football team after she was summoned for questioning in Jerusalem, Palestinian officials reported.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) denounced the prolonged detention of 20-year-old Rand Halawani, who was arrested on Tuesday evening.

In a statement, it said Halawani's arrest and that of a former national team player was "not an isolated incident, it is part of a well-documented pattern of systematic targeting of Palestinian athletes, which continues without accountability".

Bangladesh raised electricity prices by 16 per cent on Wednesday, the latest increase as the government seeks to ease pressure on state finances caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

The South Asian nation of 170 million people depends heavily on imports for its energy needs. Repeated price hikes have added strain on people struggling with long-running inflation which hit 9.04 per cent in April.

Jalal Ahmed, chairman of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, announced the 16-per cent hike two days after fuel prices were raised, taking kerosene to 135 taka ($1.09) per litre up from 130, and petrol to 140 taka from 135. Diesel was unchanged.

Lebanon's health ministry said two paramedics were killed on Wednesday in an Israeli strike on the country's south, with at least 130 emergency and health workers now killed since the Israel-Hezbollah war began in March.

A ministry statement said that "the Israeli enemy directly targeted an ambulance belonging to the Risala Scouts Association", which is affiliated with Hezbollah ally the Amal movement, adding that "this resulted in the martyrdom of two paramedics and left a third with highly critical injuries."

The ministry circulated pictures of a badly damaged ambulance, with medical masks spilling out of the vehicle and scattered on the road.

Embassy of India in Kuwait has expressed its deepest condolences at the tragic demise of an Indian national due to an attack on the airport in Kuwait today. The embassy is in touch with the bereaved family and is closely coordinating with the Kuwaiti authorities to render all possible support and assistance to the bereaved family as well as those injured in the incident.

Dr. Abdullah Al Sund, spokesperson for the Kuwait Ministry of Health, confirmed that a comprehensive health mobilization has been active since the first hours of the Iranian aggression against Kuwait.

According to Dr. Al Sund, 63 injury cases have been received, with seven major emergency surgeries successfully performed. The ministry added that the healthcare system continues to maintain heightened readiness around the clock to manage casualties and ensure public safety.

Iran's judiciary on Wednesday announced the execution of a man convicted of killing a police officer during the wave of anti-government protests that swept the country earlier this year.

Iran executes more people annually than any other nation besides China, according to rights groups, and has carried out a string of executions for security-related cases since the outbreak in February of war with Israel and the United States.

"The death penalty has been carried out against Fathollah Avari, who had killed a police commander during the January protests in Hamedan" in western Iran, according to the judiciary's website, Mizan.

No date was provided for Avari's arrest, trial or execution.

On Wednesday, Iran's prosecutors accused Avari of "fatally stabbing a police officer" during a protest in Hamedan on January 8, at the height of the protests.

In late December, a protest movement sparked by economic pains quickly expanded into mass anti-government rallies, and was met by a crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands.

Iranian authorities portrayed the protests as riots backed by the United States and Israel, and said the violence killed around 3,000 people.

Rights groups abroad put the toll higher and accused the security forces of firing at demonstrators.

Kuwaiti authorities have arrested a social media user who filmed and published videos showing the country's air defence systems engaging Iranian missile attacks while driving, causing a traffic accident in the process, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said that he was detained after authorities monitored footage posted online showing the interception of missiles by Kuwait's air defences during a period of heightened regional tensions.

Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, strongly condemned the blatant and repeated Iranian terrorist attacks targeting civilian facilities and vital infrastructure in the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain, saying the actions constituted a flagrant violation of international laws and norms and humanitarian principles.

In a statement on Wednesday, Al Yamahi affirmed the Arab Parliament's full solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain and its support for all measures taken by the two countries to safeguard their national security and protect citizens and residents.

He also praised the efficiency and readiness of both countries' armed forces in confronting these criminal attacks.

Kuwait said it would resume flights for its flagship airline on Wednesday, hours after saying an Iranian attack had forced the airport to close and killed one person.

"The General Authority of Civil Aviation announced on Wednesday the resumption of all Kuwait Airways flights only, from Kuwait International Airport," it said in a statement.

Lebanon said an Israeli strike hit a target near Beirut on Wednesday while a medical source told AFP six people were killed as Israel pounded the country's south.

The Israeli army, meanwhile, said it intercepted a "hostile aircraft" that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon, the first such infiltration reported by the military in more than 24 hours.

Israeli officials have warned the military will strike Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah launches projectiles targeting Israeli communities in the north, a stance they say has backing from Washington.

Hezbollah did not immediately claim any attack on northern Israel.

The Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned and denounced, in the strongest terms, the brutal and ongoing Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones, the latest of which occurred at dawn on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. In a statement, the Ministry said the attacks once again targeted civilian and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, resulting in the death of one individual, injuries to others, and damage to vital facilities, including diplomatic missions.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the Iranian terrorist attacks that targeted the Kingdom of Bahrain with missiles and drones. In a statement, the Ministry described the attacks as a flagrant violation of Bahrain's sovereignty, a breach of international law, and a threat to its security, stability, and the safety of its vital and civilian facilities. The Ministry also expressed the UAE's full solidarity with Bahrain and its support for all measures the Kingdom takes to safeguard its security and stability.

Iran accused Kuwait and Bahrain of allowing the United States to use their territory to launch attacks on an Iranian tanker and island, as it condemned Washington for the strikes.

"The foreign ministry... condemns the colonialist use by the United States of the territory and infrastructure of countries in the region to advance its aggressive plans against Iran, and emphasises the direct and unmistakable responsibility of the leaders of Kuwait and Bahrain for last night's acts of aggression," a statement said.

In a statement on X, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President called for a unified Gulf response following repeated Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain.

Gargash emphasized that no Gulf state should face aggression alone, noting that “the security of the Arab Gulf states is interconnected, their interests are shared, and their fate is one.” He described the attacks as a threat not to individual countries but to the region as a whole.

Read more here.

The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force said that Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through missile and drone attacks targeting civilian sites in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In a statement carried by the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the General Command said its air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed three missiles and a number of drones.

The statement stressed that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilian sites and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has discussed in a phone call with Paulo Rangel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal, regional developments and the repercussions of Iran's unprovoked terrorist attacks targeting civilian sites and facilities in the UAE using missiles and drones.

The two ministers reviewed the serious implications of the terrorist attacks for international maritime navigation, energy supplies and the global economy.

They also discussed ways to strengthen international efforts to promote security and lasting peace in the region.

Sheikh Abdullah and Rangel reviewed the friendship ties between the UAE and Portugal and explored avenues for enhancing cooperation across various sectors in support of development efforts in both countries.

Indian carrier IndiGo said it has suspended all flight operations to and from Kuwait until 12pm on June 4, 2026, citing the ongoing closure of Kuwaiti airspace.

In a travel advisory, the airline said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure, with the safety of passengers and crew remaining its top priority. IndiGo said it is coordinating closely with aviation authorities and monitoring developments, adding that services will resume once conditions allow and safe operating corridors become available.

The airline advised customers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport.

The war in the Middle East has dented economic growth prospects worldwide, with a more severe shock likely if no effective ceasefire is agreed before 2027, the OECD warned Wednesday.

Global economic growth is now forecast to reach 2.8 percent this year if Gulf exports of oil and gas return to pre-conflict levels in the third quarter, the group of 38 industrialised countries said in its quarterly update.

If the Mideast war continues into next year, however, global growth could slow to 2.1 percent, the OECD said.

Hostile drones struck Terminal One at Kuwait International Airport, injuring a number of people and causing damage, the Ministry of Defense confirmed on Wednesday, following what it described as Iranian aggression late last night.

Ministry spokesman Saud Al-Atwan said in a statement that the injured received necessary medical care.

Iran carried out a drone strike on a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, wounding several people and forcing air traffic to be suspended, Kuwaiti officials said on Wednesday.

Ministry of defence spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi described the attack as "criminal Iranian aggression which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries."

Read more here.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development downgraded its economic forecasts Wednesday, noting that the energy price shock triggered by the Middle East war penalised Europe more than the United States.

The bank, founded to help former Soviet bloc nations adopt free-market economies, said European gas prices exceeded those in the United States by a factor of five amid a widening gap.

"Electricity prices in Europe are also much higher than in the United States," the London-based EBRD said in its latest outlook report, which also focused on countries in the Middle East and Africa where it invests.

The bank predicted that gross domestic product would slow to 3.1 percent across its regions of operation this year from 3.4 percent in 2025, with Europe more dependent on hydrocarbon imports than the United States.

This was a downgrade of 0.5 percentage points from an EBRD forecast in February, before the US-Iran conflict began at the end of that month.

"The conflict in the Middle East has delivered a new shock to regions already navigating weakness in manufacturing industries and fragile fiscal positions," the bank's chief economist Beata Javorcik said in a statement.

"Higher energy costs are squeezing competitiveness, reigniting inflation and tightening fiscal space at a time when many economies can least afford it," she added.

US Republican Representative Thomas Massie suggested on X that temporarily halting foreign aid to Israel could immediately stop its military operations against neighbouring countries. The post claimed such a move would open the Strait of Hormuz, lower gas prices by roughly $2 per gallon, and reduce US taxpayer funding to Israel, which it described as the country’s largest aid recipient. The lawmaker called tensions between Trump and Netanyahu “all talk” and argued that financial pressure is the most direct way to achieve peace in the region.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government backed on Wednesday $19 billion in additional spending to help Japanese households struggling with soaring everyday costs driven by the Iran war.

The budget could reportedly be passed as soon as Friday in the legislature that is dominated by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and allies of Takaichi, who said previously the money would go toward easing petrol, electricity and gas costs.

The extra budget was "decided" at a cabinet meeting, the prime minister's office said on its website.

Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara told reporters at a news conference the cabinet had allocated 3.1135 trillion yen ($19 billion).

That includes 2.5 trillion yen for a newly established "contingency reserve" for the situation in the Middle East, he said.

"Amid ongoing uncertainty in the situation in the Middle East, we have formulated this budget from the standpoint of minimising risk," Kihara said.

He added that the budget would allow for a "robust financial readiness" and that the government would closely monitor future price trends "so that the daily lives of the public and economic activity are not disrupted".

Oil prices extended gains Wednesday as Middle East peace talks stuttered, though stocks mostly rose on the back of continued demand for all things linked to artificial intelligence.

Despite Donald Trump's assurances that the United States and Iran are edging closer to ending their three-month-long war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, crude investors appear unmoved as they await solid progress.

Unease on trading floors has risen this week after reports in Iran said it had broken off contact over Israel's attacks on Lebanon, which the US president denied on Tuesday.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said an additional wave of Iranian drones targeting American forces in Kuwait failed to reach their intended targets.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said US air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple drones, adding that no American personnel were injured and no military assets were damaged.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed today that it struck the US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a regional air base with missiles and drones.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) labeled these claims false, confirming that all Iranian attacks on American forces failed. CENTCOM said US forces remain vigilant and ready to defend against any aggression.

The US military that it had "successfully defeated" a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks on its regional neighbours, and conducted self-defence strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island.

"Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets," US Central Command said in a statement. 

"Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart enroute, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by US and Bahrain air defence forces."

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior has confirmed that the siren has been sounded. "Citizens and residents are requested to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels."

Bahrain has also shut its airspace and grounded civilian flights as threat over the Gulf intensifies.

Significant air defence activity is "ongoing", as the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says they’re targeting US bases.

Kuwait's military said on Wednesday its air defences were intercepting "hostile" missile and drone attacks, as the sounds of sirens rang out.

"Any sounds of explosions heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting these hostile attacks," the military said on X, without specifying their origin. 

Kuwait's state-run news agency KUNA reported that the sirens were heard for the second time that night.

Ministry of Interior urged the public not to approach or touch any shrapnel, suspicious objects, or debris, warning of potential danger or explosion risks, and called for immediate reporting via emergency hotline.

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed five people, including a child, and wounded 48, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Those wounded in the strikes across the south included "a doctor and five employees of Tebnine Governmental Hospital, which sustained damage in yet another episode of the series of attacks carried out by the Israeli enemy against hospitals and health centres", the ministry said in a statement.

The US military has disabled an empty oil tanker after it ignored repeated warnings and attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf, US Central Command said. A US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie, preventing it from reaching Kharg Island, CentCom said in a statement.

US forces have now disabled six commercial vessels and redirected 122 others since the blockade took effect. The M/T Lexie was transiting international waters when it was intercepted.

Kharg Island, a small coral island in the northern Persian Gulf, serves as the terminal for roughly 90 percent of Iran's crude oil exports. Its deepwater berths allow supertankers to dock and load directly, making it the centerpiece of Iran's petroleum export infrastructure, and a focal point of the ongoing US enforcement effort.

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed five people, including a child, and wounded 48, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Those wounded in the strikes across the south included "a doctor and five employees of Tebnine Governmental Hospital, which sustained damage in yet another episode of the series of attacks carried out by the Israeli enemy against hospitals and health centres", the ministry said in a statement.

Day 95: Rubio says Iran's Khamenei alive and 'increasingly engaging'

Day 94: Kuwait intercepts missiles, drones; Iran halts US talks

Day 93: Trump asked for tougher terms in proposed Iran war deal

Day 92: Hormuz disruption raises summer fuel shortage fears

Day 91: Trump wraps Iran talks without announcement

Day 90: US, Iran reach deal pending Trump's final approval

Day 89: Trump says 'not satisfied' yet on Iran deal

Day 88: Iran condemns US attacks as violation of ceasefire

Day 87: 'Proceeding nicely': US-Iran talks intensify, oil drops

Day 86: US-Iran talks: Trump says 'I don’t make bad deals'

Day 85: Trump: Iran deal ‘largely negotiated’, Hormuz to open