The International Civil Aviation Organization Council reaffirmed Kuwait’s position on reported Iranian attacks against Kuwait International Airport and related civilian facilities during its 238th virtual meeting on June 19, 2026, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Kuwait submitted formal protest letters on June 5 and June 11 that included photographic evidence and supporting documents circulated to all member states. The session, convened after an invitation from the ICAO Council president, prioritized Kuwait’s complaint with no objections raised by any participating nation.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the ICAO Secretary General opened the meeting with a detailed report on the attacks and the contents of Kuwait’s complaints. Council members examined a working paper submitted by Iran on the legality of its actions toward neighboring countries alongside Kuwait’s objections, determining that Iran’s claims contained inaccuracies. The body reaffirmed its previous condemnation of the incidents, with 93 representatives from ICAO member states in attendance including all 36 council members.
Director General of Civil Aviation Sheikh Engineer Hamoud Mubarak Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah led the Kuwaiti delegation and expressed appreciation for the support extended by the ICAO Council, its members and the Arab Group. Al-Sabah said the organization’s stance reflects the international community’s commitment to protecting civil aviation, ensuring the safety of passengers and aviation workers, and safeguarding civilian facilities from threats. The DGCA noted that Kuwait emphasized the protection of airports and aviation infrastructure as a fundamental responsibility under international regulations.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation called for continued international efforts to preserve the security and safety of global air transport networks in the wake of the incidents. ICAO has a documented history of condemning unlawful interference with civil aviation, including a 2002 resolution that strongly denounced the destruction of Gaza International Airport and its navigation facilities, according to a United Nations document. Such actions align with broader resolutions dating back to 1970 that reject all forms of aerial hijacking or interference by force.
Associated Press reporting detailed one of the referenced attacks on June 3, 2026, in which Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, killing one Indian national and wounding 63 others including passengers and workers. Kuwait’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi described a number of hostile drones targeting the passenger building, briefly closing the airfield amid a fragile regional ceasefire. Wikipedia entries on Kuwait in the 2026 Iran war list additional strikes, including a February drone hit on the airport and Ali Al Salem Air Base as well as a March incident that ignited a fuel tank fire.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation highlighted that the June protests built upon earlier complaints related to these events, which also affected air traffic management equipment and radar facilities as reported by Al Jazeera. ICAO maintains 193 member states and has expanded its aviation security framework since the 1980s through expert panels and conventions that criminalize using aircraft as weapons or deploying dangerous materials against aviation targets, according to an International Peace Institute analysis. This latest council decision underscores the priority placed on accurate reporting and evidence-based review in addressing threats to civilian aviation infrastructure.
