Iran’s retaliatory strikes kill one, injure dozens and target US bases across the Gulf, escalating regional tensions and shattering the area’s reputation for stability
ABU DHABI: Iran launched waves of missile and drone attacks across the Gulf on Saturday, killing one civilian and injuring dozens while targeting multiple US military bases. The unprecedented barrage, a retaliation for recent US and Israeli strikes, struck cities from Kuwait to Dubai, rattling a region long considered a haven of stability.
Explosions rocked cities across the Gulf, with smoke and flames rising from Dubai’s landmark Palm development. The attacks hit Kuwait’s international airport, Gulf military bases and residential areas, raising immediate fears of a wider regional conflict.
A Pakistani civilian was killed by falling debris in Abu Dhabi, authorities confirmed. At least four people were injured at the luxury Palm development in Dubai.
Missiles streaked across the skies of every Gulf country except Oman, a recent mediator in US-Iran talks. Many projectiles were intercepted by defence systems, but significant damage was reported.
In Kuwait, a drone struck the international airport and a base housing US personnel was targeted. Three Kuwaiti soldiers and 12 other people were wounded in those incidents.
Residential buildings were also targeted in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, with officials dispatching firefighters to the scene. “The sound of the first explosion terrified me,” said a 50-year-old retiree living near the US base in Manama’s Juffair area.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia both warned they reserved the right to respond to the attacks. The oil-rich monarchies are long-term US allies hosting several American military bases.
“The Gulf states are sandwiched between Iran and Israel, and have to bear the worst inclinations of both,” said Bader al-Saif, an assistant professor at Kuwait University. He added that Iran’s attacks would only alienate its neighbours.
The escalation prompted a rare phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. The pair discussed the strikes and expressed solidarity, marking their first conversation since a public row in December.
The attacks also targeted Qatar, host to the region’s largest US military base at Al Udeid. An AFP journalist in Qatar saw one missile destroyed in a puff of white smoke, while another in Dubai witnessed a volley of Patriot interceptors taking off.
In Kuwait, an Iranian missile caused “significant damage” to the runway at an air base hosting Italian personnel, Italy’s foreign minister said. Late on Saturday, Kuwaiti officials confirmed a drone had targeted a naval base.
The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait all announced the closure of their airspace following the attacks. For the Gulf’s large expatriate population, the events provoked shock and fear.
“We came to the Gulf because it’s known to be safer than Lebanon. Now I don’t know what to do or how to think really,” a Lebanese woman living in Riyadh told AFP.
A nursing student in Doha, Maha Manbaz, expressed widespread anxiety. “We are scared of what the future is for us now, and we can’t say how the next few days are going to be,” she said.
