KUWAIT CITY, March 31: The Kuwait Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday that it intercepted five hostile ballistic missiles and seven hostile drones in the last 24 hours. In a media briefing about the current regional developments amid the Iranian aggression on Kuwait, the spokesman of the ministry Colonel Saud Al-Atwan stressed that the Kuwaiti Armed Forces were on high alert and performing their duties with utmost efficiency and vigilance in order to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.
He prayed for Kuwait’s perpetual security and stability under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah – the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior said Tuesday that the explosive ordnance disposal teams dealt with 10 reports about falling debris resulting from defensive interception operations over the past 24 hours.
According to a spokesman of the ministry Brigadier Nasser Bousalaib, the total number of such reports has reached 616 since the start of the Iranian attacks, adding that the air raid sirens were activated once over the past 24 hours, increasing the total to 159. On the heightened security presence throughout the country, he explained this measures aims to ensure public security and safety, calling for maximum cooperation with police officers and full compliance with their instructions.
Earlier on Monday, the ministry announced an update to the notification mechanism of the national alert system on smart devices to enhance alert efficiency and taking rest periods into account, while ensuring that warning notifications are effectively delivered when needed. In a press statement, the ministry said that notifications will be sent simultaneously with the activation of warning sirens. It added that alerts will be issued with a loud notification tone from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, and with a message tone from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am.
Moreover, Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) affirmed that the crew of the giant crude oil tanker, ‘Al-Salmi’, efficiently handled the fire caused by an Iranian attack, immediately initiating emergency procedures in accordance with the response plans while ensuring the safety of all crew members. Official spokesperson of KOTC Captain Badr Al-Mutairi revealed that the crew fully extinguished the fire at 4:26 am Kuwait time, under the direct supervision of the crisis management team of the company, in coordination with the relevant authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to assess damages and ensure stability.
Al-Mutairi said the tanker owned by KOTC (a subsidiary of KPC), was subjected to what he described as a “malicious Iranian attack” that directly targeted the vessel at 11:30 pm Monday (Kuwait time) while it was in the anchorage area in the UAE, outside Dubai Port. He added that this occurred amid escalating regional challenges and maritime risks, resulting in a breach in the ship’s hull and a fire in one of its tanks. He confirmed that no human injuries were recorded among the 24 crew members, proving the high level of readiness, effectiveness of training and qualification programs, and their strict adherence to safety procedures. He also indicated that no oil spill or marine pollution was detected, highlighting the effectiveness of protection systems and the good design and operation of the tanker under such emergency conditions.
He asserted that the company, in coordination with the relevant authorities, continues to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the damage sustained by the tanker, including structural and operational inspections, in preparation for taking the necessary corrective measures in accordance with the highest technical standards and international regulations, thereby ensuring the vessel’s safety and continuous operational readiness. He emphasized that the company is closely monitoring regional developments and working hard to intensify precautionary measures and enhance the readiness of its fleet in line with best international practices and risk management standards to guarantee the protection of its assets, safety of its crews, and sustainability of its operations. He added that the protection of lives and the marine environment remain the company’s top priority, and that it spares no effort in taking the necessary measures to preserve them in coordination with its partners and relevant authorities, praying to Allah Almighty to protect Kuwait and its people from all forms of harm.
In addition, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) announced that the ‘Al-Salmi’ crew extinguished the fire that broke out early Tuesday, following a direct Iranian attack while the vessel was anchored in offshore waters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — outside Dubai Port. In a press statement on Tuesday, KPC disclosed that the crew responded immediately to the incident and doused the fire at 4:26 am (Kuwait time), in accordance with directives of the management and crisis team of the corporation, and in coordination with UAE authorities. KPC confirmed that none of the 24 crew members were injured, adding that no oil spill or marine environmental pollution was recorded. It stressed that it is continuing coordination with the relevant authorities to accurately assess the extent of damages and take the necessary measures as per the standards Earlier, KPC disclosed that the vessel was fully laden at the time of the incident. It was revealed that preliminary assessments indicate structural damage to the ship’s hull, which triggered the onboard fire.
In a related development, considering the ‘Al-Salmi’ fire is the result of the latest of the repeated Iranian attacks on the Kuwaiti oil sector, starting with the fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport on more than one occasion, followed by attacks on the Mina Abdullah and Mina Al-Ahmadi refineries, Al-Seyassah daily asked the oil and legal experts who will bear the cost of the successive losses of the Kuwaiti oil sector, the latest of which was the attack on ‘Al-Salmi’. Economist and legal expert Athbi Al-Tahnoon affirmed to the newspaper that international law obligates Iran to pay compensation for losses incurred by Kuwaiti oil facilities, not to mention the damage it caused to the ‘Al-Salmi’ tanker in Dubai waters. He clarified that compensation is not limited to countries, as it includes companies, private properties and all damages suffered by citizens and residents, as well as compensation for deaths resulting from these attacks. He stressed that Kuwait has the right to hold Iran accountable for the damage it caused to the Kuwaiti oil sector and others,
in accordance with international agreements. He said international courts recognize the principle of compensation for nations that cause destruction, death and other forms of harm, indicating these courts are authorized to impose double compensation, including international sanctions. Oil expert Haitham Al-Azmi believes that repairing the oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which Iran has targeted with drones and other means during the current conflict, will exceed Rystad Energy’s estimate of $25 billion. He stated that the cost of repair and restoring previous production levels could exceed $100 billion if the war lasts for two months, but if it continues for three months, the cost will be more than $150 billion due to the rise in global oil prices resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He said this will lead to higher prices for repair equipment and spare parts, as well as increased travel cost for the companies undertaking the repairs to the Gulf oil infrastructure.
He stressed that these estimates should be factored into future compensation provisions. International Law Professor at Kuwait University Dr. Madous Al- Rashidi disclosed that the cost of repairing the damage inflicted by Iran on the Kuwaiti and Gulf oil sectors continues to rise. He affirmed Kuwait’s right to resort to international courts to seek compensation from Iran once the war ends, especially since Iran has been defiant and obstinate, and has violated international law by targeting oil refineries and airport fuel storage tanks. He added that all Gulf states will demand compensation for damages incurred, considering Iran violated laws and norms without regard for the principle of good neighborliness. He said the United Nations charters, international agreements and international law criminalize aggression against neighbors unless there is justification for it. He went on to say that Iran will be required to pay compensation for all damages, including the cessation of Gulf oil exports, damage to public and private properties, and damage to the electricity grid two days ago, which resulted in the death of an Indian employee of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy.
He thinks the scenario of compensation paid by Iraq to Kuwait following Saddam Hussein’s brutal invasion in the early 1990s will be repeated with Iran, which targeted Gulf states that have not fired even a single shot at Iran and these nations have done nothing but intercept the atrocious attacks. Furthermore, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) has intensified its monitoring efforts to an unprecedented degree through a comprehensive field plan for markets, food establishments and vital outlets to ensure food security, continuity of supplies and protection of consumer health in light of the current circumstances. These efforts include conducting intensive inspection tours in various governorates, where the inspection teams covered hundreds of food establishments, including 379 in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate this month. These tours resulted in the issuance of 63 violation citations, 49 of which were in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate. Five complaints were addressed immediately and 431 kilograms of spoiled fish, meat and shrimp were destroyed, including 18.275 kilograms in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate.
Inspection teams seized 111 kilograms of spoiled fish from the stalls, along with 83 kilograms of frozen shrimp being sold as fresh –a violation of health regulations. The inspectors also confiscated and disposed 92 kilograms of fish found unfit for human consumption in the Capital Governorate. As part of joint inspections, the emergency team, in cooperation with the ministries of Commerce and Interior, conducted a campaign that resulted in the seizure of 127 kilograms of adulterated food and meat of unknown origin from a restaurant. The adulterated food was destroyed and the establishment was closed, while a fish shop was found selling products unfit for human consumption.
The inspection teams also discovered 1,350 eggs unfit for use in confectionery production, reflecting the vigilance and extensive scope of the inspection process. The inspections resulted in the closure of 10 food establishments in Hawally and Capital governorates (five in each governorate) due to violations like selling spoiled food, distributing adulterated products, thawing frozen meat for sale as fresh, and failing to comply with sanitation and health licensing regulations.
PAFN issued 14 violation citations to food establishments found to be employing workers without health certificates and transporting food in unlicensed vehicles. Its oversight efforts extended to factories, production sites, food warehouses and borders. Inspection tours were conducted at the Sulaibiya border and laboratory to ensure the safety of imported food and that testing procedures met the standards. PAFN officials conducted field visits to slaughterhouses and food production companies, such as the National United Poultry Company, to ensure compliance with health regulations and product safety standards. Veterinary inspections continued before and after slaughter.
The authority reassured consumers that the food stocks of the country are sufficient to cover local market needs, emphasizing that supplies are at normal levels under round-theclock monitoring. During field visits, Minister of State for Development and Sustainability Dr. Reem Al-Faleej confirmed that the situation is under control, thanks to the proactive measures. She commended the authority’s efforts in securing and storing food supplies and ensuring their availability.
By Najeh Bilal and Marwa Al-Bahrawi Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies
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