Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has confirmed that air traffic at Kuwait International Airport has returned to normal after a temporary operational disruption prompted a partial suspension of air navigation on Thursday morning, October 8, 2026, following damage affecting facilities connected to the airport’s radar system.

The authority said urgent operational and precautionary measures were activated immediately after the incident in order to protect the safety and security of civil aviation operations, passengers, flight crews and airport personnel. The partial suspension was implemented for a limited period while specialist teams assessed the situation and completed the procedures required to maintain safe air traffic operations.

According to the official statement, the incident caused material damage to equipment and facilities associated with radar and air traffic management systems, while injuries were also reported. Technical and security teams were deployed to evaluate the damage, secure critical aviation infrastructure and ensure that operational systems could continue functioning in accordance with approved safety standards.

The civil aviation authority later confirmed that air traffic had returned to normal, meaning there is currently no official announcement of a continued closure of Kuwait International Airport or a general suspension of all inbound and outbound flights. The statement also did not identify specific flight numbers that were cancelled, delayed or diverted during the temporary disruption.

In a related development, the authority announced that it had submitted a third formal protest to the International Civil Aviation Organization, stating that the incident formed part of what it described as continuing Iranian attacks targeting Kuwait International Airport and civilian aviation facilities. It stressed that any threat to civil aviation infrastructure could pose a direct risk to passengers, crews and regional air navigation.

The authority called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to take the necessary steps within its mandate, document the incident and consider its possible implications for regional and international aviation safety. Kuwait’s civil aviation authorities also reiterated the importance of protecting airports, navigation systems and civilian aviation infrastructure from any threat that could affect safe air transport operations.

Passengers travelling through Kuwait International Airport are currently being informed that operations have returned to normal. However, travellers are still advised to check the latest status of their individual flights directly with their airline before travelling to the airport, as temporary disruptions can sometimes cause residual schedule changes even after normal airport operations have resumed.