Iran Launches Missile Attacks On Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh After US-Israel Strikes; Gulf Bases, US Fleet Targeted
New Delhi: Hours after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, Tehran hit back on Saturday with missile attacks targeting Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, Doha in Qatar, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia dramatically widening the conflict across the Middle East.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that one civilian of Asian nationality was killed after “missile debris fell in a residential area” in Abu Dhabi. The ministry called the strikes “a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that threatens the safety of civilians and undermines stability.”
Residents in Dubai described the chaos to news agency AFP. “It was a big explosion, and it made the windows shake,” one witness said. Another resident described watching three missiles streak across the sky, calling them “fireballs” trailed by smoke before they disappeared into the distance.
All four targeted cities host significant American military assets. In Abu Dhabi, the UAE Air Force and US Air Force jointly operate Al Dhafra Air Base. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port serves as the US Navy’s largest port of call in the Middle East, regularly hosting aircraft carriers and other naval vessels. Doha is home to Al Udeid Air Base a 24-hectare facility that serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command. In Saudi Arabia, the US reportedly maintains over 2,000 troops, some stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base roughly 60 kilometres south of Riyadh, which supports Patriot missile batteries and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence systems.
US Fleet Targeted in Bahrain
Bahrain also reported a missile strike on the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in Manama. “The Fifth Fleet’s service centre was subjected to a missile attack. We will provide you with details later,” Bahrain’s National Communication Centre said in a statement. The Fifth Fleet oversees operations across the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean, with several US vessels — including anti-mine ships and logistical support craft home-ported there. Air raid sirens were also activated in Jordan, while Kuwait reported its air defences were “engaged with incoming missiles.”
Qatar Intercepts Attacks, Saudi Arabia Issues Warning
Qatar said it successfully intercepted the incoming strikes. “No damage has been reported, according to the initial field assessment. No casualties or material damage were recorded in residential areas,” the country’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement on X, adding a public advisory to avoid touching or approaching any unidentified objects or debris.
Saudi Arabia condemned what it called “the treacherous Iranian aggression in the strongest terms,” describing the attacks as a “blatant violation of the sovereignty” of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, and warning Tehran of “grave consequences.”
US and Israel Strike Iran
The escalation followed US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier on Saturday, with the first apparent strike reported near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. An Iranian official confirmed that a strike on a school killed 24 people. President Donald Trump announced that the US had begun “major combat operations in Iran,” while the Pentagon named the offensive “Operation Epic Fury.” Iran simultaneously launched missiles toward Israel, according to the Israeli military.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the assault as a “joint operation” aimed at confronting what he called an “existential threat” from Iran.
Airlines Halt Middle East Flights
In the wake of the strikes, global airlines suspended flights across the region. Israel, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar all closed their airspace as the crisis continued to escalate.
