KUWAIT CITY, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait reopened its airspace and resumed normal flight operations on Thursday after lifting precautionary restrictions imposed earlier amid heightened regional security tensions.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Kuwait said air traffic in Kuwaiti airspace had returned to normal following the resolution of the circumstances that prompted the temporary closure.
In a statement, the DGCA said operations at Kuwait International Airport had resumed in accordance with approved flight schedules, with airlines returning to normal service.
The authority said it was closely monitoring developments around the clock in coordination with relevant domestic and international authorities to ensure the highest levels of safety and security in the country's airspace.
Earlier on Thursday, Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace and diverted flights. At the time, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army said air defense systems were intercepting hostile aerial targets to protect the country's airspace and vital facilities.
The developments came amid escalating regional tensions after the United States launched fresh strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory Iranian attacks against U.S. military bases in the region.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday that it had struck 18 U.S. military targets in Middle Eastern countries, including those at airbases in Kuwait and Bahrain, in response to new U.S. strikes against Iran.
Kuwait on Wednesday condemned what it described as a renewed attack on its territory, calling it a dangerous escalation that threatens civilian lives and critical infrastructure, while Iran said its operation had targeted U.S. military facilities. ■
