Missile blamed for Kuwaiti explosion

A missile fell into the sea and exploded near a major shopping mall in Kuwait City early today, but officials said it caused no injuries and little damage.

Police Brigadier Ahmed al-Rujaid said the missile landed at about 01:45am (10.15pm Irish time Friday) close to the Souq Sharq mall, a multilevel seaside shopping centre - one of Kuwait’s largest.

“There were no injuries and material damage is very small,” al-Rujaid said.

Parts of the ceiling and walls littered the ground in a covered entry way after the explosion. Glass doors and windows were shattered and some doors were knocked off their hinges.

Television images also showed smoke rising over the Kuwaiti skyline.

Souq Sharq is on the Kuwaiti seafront and includes a marina, shops and restaurants.