Middle East, Ukraine Conflicts
Kuwait Airport Halts Flights After Drone Attack; Russia Intensifies Deadly Strikes in Ukraine
Iranian drones struck the passenger building at Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, wounding several people and forcing the suspension of all commercial flights, AP reported. Kuwait's Defense Ministry called it "criminal Iranian aggression" and said the attack caused "significant material damage" to the terminal. The strike came hours after the US military hit an Iranian facility on Qeshm Island in retaliation for Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait and Bahrain.
The airport attack is one of several major crises breaking simultaneously. Russian forces killed at least 22 civilians across Ukraine in a massive overnight assault. Senate Republicans forced the Trump administration to scrap a controversial $1.8 billion domestic settlement fund. And the US proposed sweeping new tariffs on dozens of trading partners.
Iran Widens War by Striking Kuwait Airport
The drone strike hit Kuwait International Airport's passenger terminal before dawn on June 3, AP reported. Brig. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi of Kuwait's Defense Ministry confirmed that "a number of hostile drones" caused the damage. All commercial flights were immediately halted. The attack followed US retaliatory strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island military facility late Tuesday.
The broader conflict, known as "Operation Epic Fury," began February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military sites. A ceasefire reached in April has repeatedly collapsed. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War say Iran is now using "horizontal escalation" — hitting targets like Kuwait — to make the war too costly for the US to continue.
Russia Kills 22 in Ukraine's Worst Air Attack in Months
Russia fired 73 missiles and 656 drones at Ukrainian cities overnight June 1, one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, according to AP. At least 22 civilians died — including a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old in Dnipro — and 138 others were wounded. Ukrainian forces intercepted 40 missiles and 602 drones, but critical gaps in coverage remained.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was "an explicit statement by Russia" and pleaded for more Patriot missile interceptors. The problem: global supplies are nearly gone. US Gulf allies used over 1,100 interceptors in just the first two months of the Iran war, while US factories produce only 60–65 units per month, The Guardian reported. Zelenskyy said the shortage "could not be any worse."
Trump Administration Scraps $1.8 Billion 'Slush Fund' Under Senate Pressure
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House panel Tuesday that the administration is abandoning the $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" — a settlement designed to pay allies who claimed political prosecution. "We are not moving forward with the fund, period," Blanche said, according to AP. The fund's total was $1,776,000,000 — a symbolic nod to 1776.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune led the Republican revolt against the fund, saying the best path was for the administration to "shut it down themselves." Critics from both parties called it a "slush fund" for January 6 defendants. Legal experts quoted by PBS News said the fund was "in a totally different solar system" from any past government settlement. The White House dropped it to unblock stalled immigration funding in Congress.
US Proposes New 10–12.5% Tariffs on Dozens of Trading Partners
The US Trade Representative announced early Wednesday a proposal to impose tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on major trading partners, citing a forced labor investigation, AP reported. Countries facing 10% tariffs include Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, and the UK. China, Japan, India, South Korea, Switzerland, and Brazil face the higher 12.5% rate. The tariffs would not take effect immediately.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the failure of trading partners to stop forced labor is "unacceptable" and creates "an unlevel playing field" for American workers. Financial analysts at J.P. Morgan say the move is an attempt to rebuild tariff revenue after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's use of emergency trade powers in February 2026. A Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis warns long-term US GDP could shrink by up to 6% if trading partners retaliate.
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