Bahrain says it also intercepted Iranian drones and missiles
Kuwait reports injuries, suspends flights after Iranian drone and missile attack
An Iranian drone and missile attack has struck Kuwait’s international airport and caused injuries as well as flight suspensions and diversions, Kuwait’s state news agency reported.
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”.
The attack hit the T1 building at the international airport and flights were diverted to alternative airports, the report said, citing the General Civil Aviation Authority.
- US military says it intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks
- Iranian Revolutionary Guards say they attacked US Fifth Fleet and regional bases
- Trump says talks with Iran ‘going on continuously’
Trump says talks with Iran ‘going on continuously’
US President Donald Trump said that Iranian media reports claiming that Tehran has stopped communicating with mediators about extending the ceasefire with the United States and Israel “false and erroneous”.
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump said in a social media post. “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal.”
Europe development bank cuts growth forecasts on Mideast war
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has downgraded its economic forecasts, noting that the energy price shock triggered by the Middle East war has penalised Europe more than the United States.
The bank said European gas prices exceeded those in the US 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 US.
“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.
Oil rises on Middle East tensions as AI-fuelled stock rally continues
Oil prices extended gains on Wednesday as Middle East peace talks stuttered, though stocks mostly rose on the back of continued demand for all things linked to artificial intelligence.
Uncertainty about a peace deal pushed oil prices up more than one per cent, with both main contracts up around five per cent this week.
However, stocks extended their breathtaking rally, fuelled by the tech sector and AI demand.
Tokyo climbed more than two per cent, helped by a more than 11 per cent surge in chipmaker Tokyo Electron, while Advantest also jumped.
Taipei was up a similar amount thanks to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's strong advance.
Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore and Manila were also up, though Hong Kong, Wellington and Jakarta retreated. Seoul was closed for a holiday.
"Equity markets are once again taking their cue from the technology sector rather than the geopolitical headlines," said IG chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards say they attacked US Fifth Fleet and regional bases
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps has attacked the US Fifth Fleet headquarters and an airbase and helicopters in a regional country using missiles and drones, Iranian media reported on Wednesday, in response to what the IRGC described as a US attack on a communications tower south of Qeshm Island.
IRGC navy also targeted a vessel it identified as Panaya with missiles in response to what it said was a US attack on an Iranian tanker near the Strait of Hormuz with a projectile that damaged the engine room, Iranian media reported.
"Disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the US military," local media cited the IRGC as saying.
US military says it intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks
The US military said on Tuesday 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 towards 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 en route, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by US and Bahrain air defence forces."
Welcome to the France 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. Catch up on yesterday's events here.
Yesterday's key developments:
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump's negotiating team has not offered Iran any sanctions relief in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
• The first day of direct talks between ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in Washington made no headway, after President Donald Trump said he had received commitments to de-escalation from both sides.
• Israel kept up strikes on southern Lebanon just a day after Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack Beirut to avert further escalation in the three-month-old war.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
