U.S., Iran intensify attacks as ceasefire frays, peace talks stall

Iran struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, killing one person and injuring others, Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said .

The attack, which Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly denied responsibility for, is the latest blow to an already weakened ceasefire agreement that has been repeatedly undermined by military action in recent days. While the Trump administration says the ceasefire remains in place, attacks have escalated as the war proceeds into its fourth month.

The Kuwaiti foreign affairs ministry in a translated statement Wednesday morning condemned "the brutal and ongoing Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones" against "civilian and vital facilities," including the latest strike on the airport.

The IRGC claimed the attack was caused by a U.S. military systems error, Iran's state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim reported, citing a spokesman for the military branch.

One day earlier, U.S. Central Command said it defeated multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, and launched "self-defense strikes" on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf, in response to "attempted attacks" by Tehran.

Iran had launched "several" ballistic missiles toward regional neighbors, though none hit their intended targets, CENTCOM said in a statement. Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by U.S. and Bahrain air defense forces, it said.

The U.S. also shot down three one-way attack drones launched by Iran toward civilian mariners that were transiting regional waters, according to CENTCOM. No U.S. personnel were harmed, the statement said.

The U.S. and Iran appear locked in a volatile stalemate, as ongoing efforts to reach a peace deal have been punctuated by public diplomatic disputes and military action.