Kuwait says firefighters injured while battling blazes after Iranian attacks
Kuwait, July 18
Several Kuwaiti firefighters and a civilian worker were injured on Saturday while battling fires at two locations targeted in Iranian strikes, authorities said.
In a statement on the social media platform X, the Kuwait Fire Force said five crews were deployed to the first site and three to the second, with injuries occurring during operations at the first location.
The injured have been transferred to hospitals.
The Fire Force did not disclose the severity of the injuries or identify the locations of the two sites, saying firefighting operations were still underway and that further updates would be released, Xinhua news agency reported.
The incident came hours after Kuwait said its air defence systems had intercepted "hostile" missiles and drones during fresh attacks early Saturday, which also temporarily disrupted operations at Kuwait International Airport and prompted Kuwait Airways to reschedule most flights.
The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army said on X that explosions heard in parts of the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting hostile targets, adding that the military was continuing to respond to the attacks.
"The public is urged to adhere to safety and security instructions issued by the relevant authorities," the army said in a statement.
The State news agency KUNA reported that warning sirens were sounded across the country for the fourth time as authorities responded to the evolving security situation.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Airways announced that it had rescheduled most of its flights after Kuwait International Airport temporarily suspended takeoff and landing operations due to the ongoing hostile missile and drone attacks.
Separately, Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said another power generation and water desalination plant was hit in a strike, triggering a fire.
Several generating units were shut down as a precaution to safeguard the facility and maintain the stability of the national power grid, while emergency response and repair operations remained underway.
The ministry also called on the public to conserve electricity, particularly during peak hours between 11:00 am (0800 GMT) and 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) local time.
The development came amid heightened regional tensions despite a US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June, under which they were expected to hold negotiations within 60 days toward a final agreement.
— IANS
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