Rubio backs Kuwait after airport attack
Washington, June 4 (IANS) U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Kuwait’s security and condemned what the United States described as Iranian attacks on Kuwait during talks with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al Sabah in Washington.
The meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department came a day after an attack on Kuwait International Airport killed at least one person, an Indian national, and injured several others, according to statements from the governments of India and the United States.
According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio “reiterated the commitment of the United States to Kuwait’s security, to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The talks underscored Washington’s continuing focus on Gulf security as tensions remain high across West Asia following months of conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The State Department said Rubio also “condemned Iran’s outrageous and unacceptable attacks targeting Kuwait International Airport and other parts of the country and expressed condolences for those killed and injured in that attack.”
“We stand with the Kuwaiti people during this difficult time,” the statement added.
The reference to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz highlighted one of the most sensitive issues in the region. The narrow waterway remains a critical route for global energy supplies and international shipping.
A day earlier, India condemned the attack on Kuwait International Airport after confirming that an Indian citizen was among those killed.
“We condemn the attack on the Kuwait International Airport today in which an Indian national has died, and several of our nationals are injured,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
New Delhi reiterated its long-standing position that civilians and civilian infrastructure should not be targeted during armed conflict.
“Since the onset of the conflict in West Asia, we have strongly urged that the civilian population and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. We again call upon parties to cease such attacks,” the ministry said.
India also said its embassy was assisting those affected by the attack.
“Our Embassy is extending all possible assistance to those injured. We remain in close contact with local authorities for the welfare of Indian nationals,” the statement said.
The U.S. government, meanwhile, advised Americans in Kuwait to exercise caution. The State Department’s TravelGov account said it was monitoring the situation following “recent drone and missile attacks on Kuwait International Airport” and urged travellers to follow instructions from local authorities and airport officials.
The attack has drawn particular attention in India because Kuwait hosts one of the largest Indian expatriate communities in the Gulf. Nearly one million Indians live and work in the country, making them the largest foreign community.
Kuwait has long been an important partner for India in energy, trade, and people-to-people ties. The Gulf nation is also home to a large number of Indian professionals, healthcare workers, engineers, and skilled labourers whose welfare remains a priority for New Delhi during periods of regional instability.
The meeting between Rubio and Sheikh Jarrah comes as the United States continues diplomatic engagement with Gulf partners amid efforts to contain the wider fallout from the conflict in West Asia. The Strait of Hormuz remains central to those discussions because of its importance to global oil markets and energy security, including for major importers such as India.
–IANS
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