Prosper Okoye
Iran has launched a sustained wave of missile and drone attacks across Gulf states, killing three people in the United Arab Emirates and injuring dozens more, Emirati authorities say.
The strikes, which began on Saturday, mark an unprecedented escalation in the region and come after the United States and Israel carried out attacks that Tehran says killed senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Residents across the Gulf reported hearing powerful explosions as the attacks entered a second day.
Blasts were heard in Dubai, Doha and Manama, with further explosions reported in Riyadh. The United Arab Emirates said three people killed in the strikes were foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The country’s defence ministry said it had detected 165 ballistic missiles since Saturday, destroying 152 of them. Two cruise missiles were also intercepted. It added that 506 out of 541 drones launched by Iran had been shot down.
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Elsewhere in the Gulf, authorities in Kuwait said one person had been killed and 32 others injured. In Oman, which had previously helped mediate talks between Washington and Tehran, officials said two drones targeted the port of Duqm Port. One drone struck accommodation used by workers, injuring a foreign national, while debris from the second landed near fuel storage facilities without causing damage.
Omani officials later reported that an oil tanker had been attacked off the coast, with its crew evacuated and four people injured. Across the region, the attacks have hit civilian infrastructure, including airports, seaports, residential buildings and hotels. In Bahrain, drones struck an airport in Manama early on Sunday, causing minor damage, officials said. The US embassy in the country warned its citizens to avoid hotels in the capital, saying they could become targets after a strike hit the Crowne Plaza Manama. Videos shared online showed damage to residential buildings, with smoke rising from high-rise towers.
UAE Landmarks Affected
In the UAE, debris from intercepted drones caused injuries in several locations. In Dubai, two people were hurt when debris fell onto homes. In Abu Dhabi, a woman and child were injured after fragments struck a building at Etihad Towers. Fires were also reported at prominent sites, including Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab. At least one person was killed and seven others wounded in what authorities described as an “incident” at Abu Dhabi airport. Another person died earlier after being struck by falling debris. Airports in Dubai and Kuwait were also affected.
Regional Tensions Intensify
In Qatar, which hosts one of the region’s largest US military bases, officials said Iran launched 65 missiles and 12 drones. Most were intercepted, but eight people were injured, one of them critically. Witnesses reported smoke rising from US military installations in Abu Dhabi and Manama, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, with additional sites in Kuwait also targeted.
The Gulf Cooperation Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting by video link later on Sunday to coordinate a response. Senior Emirati official Anwar Gargash criticised Tehran, describing the attacks as a miscalculation and urging Iran to avoid widening the conflict. Security analysts warn that the situation risks spiralling further if the strikes continue.
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“The Gulf countries right now are really on the front lines of this war,” said analyst Anna Jacobs, adding that efforts to pursue diplomacy were being severely tested. The Gulf states, long regarded as relatively stable in a volatile region, are now facing growing uncertainty as the conflict deepens.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
